Coexistent polyarthritis in a married couple
Martin SoubrierStéphanie ArrestierHervé BourbonSandrine MalochetJean‐Jacques DubostJean-Michel Ristori
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Polymyalgia rheumatica
Glucocorticoids are highly effective in treating polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis, but their use is associated with numerous adverse events. Therefore, it is important to use them for the shortest period of time possible. The published evidence suggests that discontinuation of GC is feasible in a substantial number of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis after an adequate period of treatment, provided that glucocorticoids are tapered gradually. Recurrences are relatively infrequent in polymyalgia rheumatica and somewhat more common in giant cell arteritis. Immunosuppressive agents may be used in patients with frequently relapsing or recurring disease to decrease exposure to glucocorticoids.
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Both giant-cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica are immune-mediated diseases that are treated with glucocorticoids, with higher doses used for giant-cell arteritis. Prompt initiation of high doses and a biopsy are recommended when ischemic optic neuropathy is suspected.
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Letters15 April 1995Cytokines in Polymyalgia and Giant Cell ArteritisLarry M. GreenbaumLarry M. GreenbaumSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-122-8-199504150-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Weyand and colleagues [1] found that patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis have similar cytokine profiles. However, their patients with polymyalgia rheumatica may not be representative of most of these patients. Seventeen tissue samples from 9 different patients were available for analysis. It is unclear whether 17 different temporal artery biopsy specimens were taken from 9 patients or whether different fragments of the same biopsy specimen were analyzed separately for some patients. In most patients with polymyalgia rheumatica, bilateral temporal artery biopsy specimens are not usually analyzed. I wonder whether this group of patients with ...REFERENCE1. Weyand CM, Hicok KC, Hunder GG, Goronzy JJ. Tissue cytokine patterns in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis. Ann Intern Med. 1994; 121:484-91. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 15 April 1995Volume 122, Issue 8Page: 634KeywordsArteriesBiopsyCytokinesGiant cellsPatient advocacyPolymyalgia rheumatica Issue Published: 15 April 1995 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1995 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...
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Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell (cranial/temporal) arteritis are common debilitating conditions affecting people nearly always over the age of 55. Although the two syndromes are closely linked their precise relationship is not fully understood. Polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis can occur in a ‘pure’ form or clinical features of each may be present in the same patient. Treatment with a systemic corticosteroid has long been considered mandatory in patients with giant cell arteritis in order to prevent serious vascular complications, particularly blindness 1 . Treatment with corticosteroid is also usual for patients with polymyalgia rheumatica. Many patients remain on steroids for years. What is the basis for current approaches to management? How should steroids be given and eventually stopped?
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Polymyalgia rheumatica, next to rheumatoid arthritis the most common inflammatory rheumatic disorder of the elderly, is a nonspecific clinical syndrome involving pain in the shoulder and pelvic girdles. Giant cell arteritis appears to localize in elastin-containing arteries and can cause similar myalgias. A relationship exists between the two diseases, as evidenced by their frequent coexistence in the same patient. The symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica respond to low-dose corticosteroid therapy, while giant cell arteritis requires higher doses to prevent blindness due to involvement of the temporal artery. The key decision in therapy, therefore, concerns the dose and duration of use of steroid for polymyalgic symptoms. In this decision, prevention of the catastrophic complications of giant cell arteritis and avoidance of needless side effects of high-dose steroid therapy in the elderly are competing considerations.
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To date, no specific serum marker for giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica has been established in routine practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether immunoglobulin G4 serum concentrations could be a potential biomarker for the differentiation of both diseases.Serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) concentrations were measured in patients with giant cell arteritis (n=41) and polymyalgia rheumatica (n=27) by an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In the subgroup of untreated patients with disease activity (polymyalgia rheumatica n=27, giant cell arteritis n=19) additional parameters of T-helper 2 cell inflammatory responses were analysed.IgG4-values above the prior determined cut-off value of 1400 μg/ml in giant cell arteritis were rare and also significantly less frequent in giant cell arteritis than in polymyalgia rheumatica patients (7.3% vs. 44.4%; p<0.001). The relative risk that patients with clinical features of PMR, presenting without elevated IgG4 levels, have simultaneously GCA was 5.8 compared to those patients with elevated IgG4 levels. In untreated patients absolute counts of eosinophilic leukocytes were lower in giant cell arteritis than in polymyalgia rheumatica (p=0.002) and the cytokines interleukin-4 (p=0.013) and interleukin-10 (p=0.033) were less frequently detectable in giant cell arteritis than in polymyalgia rheumatica.In giant cell arteritis serum levels of IgG4 usually are within the normal range. In polymyalgia rheumatica however, increased IgG4 serum levels are frequently found. Normal IgG4 serum levels in polymyalgia rheumatica may have predictive value in identifying patients with additional, clinically non-apparent giant cell arteritis.
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Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are common, closely related vasculitic conditions that almost exclusively occur in patients older than 50 years. They may be manifestations of the same underlying disease and often coexist. Patients with polymyalgia rheumatica usually present with acute onset of stiffness and pain in the shoulder and pelvic musculature, which may be accompanied by fever, malaise, and weight loss. If untreated, polymyalgia rheumatica may result in significant disability. Giant cell arteritis may manifest as visual loss or diplopia, abnormalities of the temporal artery such as tenderness or decreased pulsation, jaw claudication, and new-onset headaches. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and temporal artery biopsy help make the diagnosis. Giant cell arteritis requires urgent diagnosis because without treatment it may lead to irreversible blindness. Patients with either condition also may have nonspecific symptoms. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy for both conditions, with higher doses required for treatment of giant cell arteritis. Duration of corticosteroid therapy can be five years or longer before complete clinical remission is achieved. Monitoring for corticosteroid-associated side effects such as osteoporosis and diabetes, as well as for relapses and flare-ups, is key to chronic management. The prognosis for either condition, if treated, is good.
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If there is no pain in the temporal artery, the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA) may be delayed and blindness may occur. Therefore, FDG-PET/CT is important as a modality for diagnosis of GCA. When GCA is suspected and F-18 FDG-PET/CT is performed, it is worthwhile to pay attention to shoulder and hip joints as polymyalgia rheumatica commonly presents with GCA.
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