Objective To investigate the clinical features of giant cell arteritis(GCA). Methods Data of 31 patients with GCA (diagnosed according to American College of Rheumatology classification standard) in Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2008 to 2011 were analyzed. The clinical manifestation, assistant examinations, response to steroid therapy and follow-up data were recorded and compared with results in literatures abroad. Results There were 17 male cases and 14 female cases and mean age was 67.1 years (range 47-92 years) and 20 cases were acute onset. There were 29 cases with headache, 27 cases with weakness, 25 cases with fever, 17 cases with rheumatic polymyalgia, 15 cases with weight loss, 12 cases with dysmasesia, and 15 cases with temporal artery abnormal morphology and pulsation. Brain CT showed infarctions(including lacunar infarction) in 21 cases and temporal artery ultrasound showed abnormity in 22 cases. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate at first visit was 98.3 mm/h(50—150 mm/h) and increased to 18.5 mm/h (20—43 mm/h). Incidence in male was higher than that in female according to reports in China, which was different from reports abroad, those in and constitutional symptoms, such as fever and weight loss are prominent. Conclutions Characteristis of GCA patients in China are different from those in other countries. The male incidence is higher than female, and fever, headache, rheumatic polymyalgia are more common. Ultrasound is an effective means in diagnosis and clinical evaluation.