Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia

Dung Do-Nguyen,1 Charles A Inderjeeth,1–3 Jack Edelman,2 Patrick Cheah2 1Rehabilitation and Aged Care, North Metropolitan Health Service, 2Department of Rheumatology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 3Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Austr...

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Autores principales:	Do-Nguyen D, Inderjeeth CA, Edelman J, Cheah P
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Dove Medical Press 2013
Materias:	Diseases of the musculoskeletal system RC925-935
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/9de4ecf567ef4760830112aec1178c7d
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:9de4ecf567ef4760830112aec1178c7d2021-12-02T05:51:24ZRetrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia1179-156Xhttps://doaj.org/article/9de4ecf567ef4760830112aec1178c7d2013-04-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.dovepress.com/retrospective-analysis-of-the-clinical-course-of-patients-treated-for--a12899https://doaj.org/toc/1179-156XDung Do-Nguyen,1 Charles A Inderjeeth,1–3 Jack Edelman,2 Patrick Cheah2 1Rehabilitation and Aged Care, North Metropolitan Health Service, 2Department of Rheumatology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 3Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia Background: Polymyalgia rheumatica is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic condition, for which the mainstay of treatment is corticosteroids. Here, we review the clinical course of treated patients initially presenting with polymyalgic symptoms. Methods: A retrospective audit was performed of patients who presented with a possible diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica. Biochemical markers and prednisone doses were assessed at the initial review, at one month, and 3, 6, and 12 months later. Results: A cohort of 135 patients was identified, comprising 91 females and 44 males of mean age 70.7 years. All patients were treated with oral prednisone at an initial mean dose of 21.3 mg. Mean baseline C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were 41.6 mg/L and 48.6 mm/hour, respectively. Following initiation of therapy, there was a dramatic and sustained decrease in both inflammatory markers. A clinical response was observed in 96.2% of patients, but remission was achieved in only 18.2%. Of those initially diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, 24.8% were subsequently diagnosed with a different rheumatic condition. Conclusion: The excellent response rate to corticosteroid therapy is well established in the literature, but in this research, remission rates were comparatively low during the 12-month study period. The current value of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic therapy appears uncertain, and further trials to establish their precise role would be beneficial. A large portion of patients presenting with polymyalgia were eventually diagnosed to have another rheumatic disease, thus reflecting the broad differential diagnosis of polymyalgia symptoms. Polymyalgia symptoms can occur in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and other rheumatic conditions. This group has a good response to prednisone therapy, although remission at 12 months appears to be uncommon. The gold standard of treatment remains corticosteroid therapy. Keywords: polymyalgia rheumatica, diagnosis, treatmentDo-Nguyen DInderjeeth CAEdelman JCheah PDove Medical PressarticleDiseases of the musculoskeletal systemRC925-935ENOpen Access Rheumatology: Research and Reviews, Vol 2013, Iss default, Pp 33-41 (2013)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Diseases of the musculoskeletal system RC925-935
spellingShingle	Diseases of the musculoskeletal system RC925-935 Do-Nguyen D Inderjeeth CA Edelman J Cheah P Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
description	Dung Do-Nguyen,1 Charles A Inderjeeth,1–3 Jack Edelman,2 Patrick Cheah2 1Rehabilitation and Aged Care, North Metropolitan Health Service, 2Department of Rheumatology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 3Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia Background: Polymyalgia rheumatica is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic condition, for which the mainstay of treatment is corticosteroids. Here, we review the clinical course of treated patients initially presenting with polymyalgic symptoms. Methods: A retrospective audit was performed of patients who presented with a possible diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica. Biochemical markers and prednisone doses were assessed at the initial review, at one month, and 3, 6, and 12 months later. Results: A cohort of 135 patients was identified, comprising 91 females and 44 males of mean age 70.7 years. All patients were treated with oral prednisone at an initial mean dose of 21.3 mg. Mean baseline C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were 41.6 mg/L and 48.6 mm/hour, respectively. Following initiation of therapy, there was a dramatic and sustained decrease in both inflammatory markers. A clinical response was observed in 96.2% of patients, but remission was achieved in only 18.2%. Of those initially diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, 24.8% were subsequently diagnosed with a different rheumatic condition. Conclusion: The excellent response rate to corticosteroid therapy is well established in the literature, but in this research, remission rates were comparatively low during the 12-month study period. The current value of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic therapy appears uncertain, and further trials to establish their precise role would be beneficial. A large portion of patients presenting with polymyalgia were eventually diagnosed to have another rheumatic disease, thus reflecting the broad differential diagnosis of polymyalgia symptoms. Polymyalgia symptoms can occur in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and other rheumatic conditions. This group has a good response to prednisone therapy, although remission at 12 months appears to be uncommon. The gold standard of treatment remains corticosteroid therapy. Keywords: polymyalgia rheumatica, diagnosis, treatment
format	article
author	Do-Nguyen D Inderjeeth CA Edelman J Cheah P
author_facet	Do-Nguyen D Inderjeeth CA Edelman J Cheah P
author_sort	Do-Nguyen D
title	Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
title_short	Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
title_full	Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
title_fullStr	Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
title_full_unstemmed	Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
title_sort	retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia
publisher	Dove Medical Press
publishDate	2013
url	https://doaj.org/article/9de4ecf567ef4760830112aec1178c7d
work_keys_str_mv	AT donguyend retrospectiveanalysisoftheclinicalcourseofpatientstreatedforpolymyalgia AT inderjeethca retrospectiveanalysisoftheclinicalcourseofpatientstreatedforpolymyalgia AT edelmanj retrospectiveanalysisoftheclinicalcourseofpatientstreatedforpolymyalgia AT cheahp retrospectiveanalysisoftheclinicalcourseofpatientstreatedforpolymyalgia
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Retrospective analysis of the clinical course of patients treated for polymyalgia

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