Final answer:
Older adults over 50, particularly women and individuals of Northern European descent, are at high risk for developing temporal arteritis, a type of vasculitis. It is distinct from chronic infectious arthritis, which affects immunocompromised individuals, those with RA, or prosthetic joints.
Step-by-step explanation:
The patient population at high risk for developing temporal arteritis, also known as giant cell arteritis, includes primarily older adults, typically those who are over the age of 50. This condition is not chronic infectious arthritis but rather a form of vasculitis, which involves inflammation of the blood vessels. Risk factors for temporal arteritis include age, female gender, and ethnicity, with a higher prevalence among white individuals, particularly those of Northern European descent.
While chronic infectious arthritis accounts for a percentage of arthritis cases and affects those with weakened immune systems such as HIV infection, those with existing joint issues like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or those with prosthetic joints or on immunosuppressive chemotherapy, it presents differently than temporal arteritis. Chronic infectious arthritis typically begins in a single joint and may involve symptoms like gradual swelling and minimal redness, which can also be seen in various other forms of arthritis.