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Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Author(s) -
McCABE EDWARD S.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1976.tb03296.x
Subject(s) - medicine , polymyalgia rheumatica , giant cell arteritis , erythrocyte sedimentation rate , malaise , prednisone , constitutional symptoms , arteritis , hydroxychloroquine , gastroenterology , biopsy , weakness , dermatology , surgery , vasculitis , disease , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Polymyalgia rheumatica should be considered when a syndrome of constitutional symptoms, especially weight loss, low‐grade fever, weakness, wasting proximal muscles, fatigue, malaise and depression, is seen in the elderly. Giant‐cell arteritis plays a part later in the course. Thus the need for biopsy of a long segment of the temporal artery to help in determining diagnosis and therapy. An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an important clue. The usual high value is about 80 mm/hour; if it is over 100 mm/hour, giant‐cell arteritis should be suspected. Salicylates, indomethacin, phenylbutazone and hydroxychloroquine produce some clinical improvement but do not lower the high ESR; moreover, the patients are prone to experience relapses. Prednisone, however, not only produces clinical improvement but lowers the high ESR. Potassium p‐aminobenzoate may be useful in maintaining the remission.