Polymyalgia rheumatica

Patients describe difficulty rising from seated or prone positions, varying degrees of muscle tenderness, shoulder/hip bursitis, and/or oligoarthritis.

More common in women.

About 15% to 20% of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) have giant cell arteritis (GCA); 40% to 60% of GCA patients have PMR.

Diagnosis is made via history and with supportive laboratory tests indicating an elevated ESR or CRP.

Rapid improvement often occurs within 24 to 72 hours with low-dose prednisolone.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory rheumatological syndrome that manifests as pain and morning stiffness involving the neck, shoulder girdle, and/or pelvic girdle in individuals older than age 50 years. Peripheral musculoskeletal involvement may also be present.[1]Soubrier M, Dubost JJ, Ristori JM. Polymyalgia rheumatica: diagnosis and treatment. Joint Bone Spine. 2006;73:599-605. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17113808?tool=bestpractice.com [2]American College of Rheumatology Ad Hoc Committee on Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis. Recommendations for the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: 2001 update. Arthritis Rheum. 2001;44:1496-1503. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1529-0131(200107)44:7%3C1496::AID-ART271%3E3.0.CO;2-5/full http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11465699?tool=bestpractice.com PMR occurs either as an isolated condition or associated with giant cell arteritis.