Large-vessel involvement in giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are closely related disorders that affect people of middle age and older, and frequently occur together. With the widespread use of newer vascular imaging modalities, large-vessel involvement (LVI) has increasingly been recognised in patients with GCA and less often in those with PMR. LVI in GCA can result in complications such as aortic aneurysm and dissection, aortic arch syndrome, and limb arteries stenosis, while vascular complications in PMR are exceedingly rare. It is still controversial which patients should be investigated for LVI, and how LVI should be diagnosed, monitored and managed. In this review, we will try to address six important issues regarding LVI in GCA and PMR.

"In sickness and in health": the peculiar occurrence of polymyalgia rheumatica in married cohabiting couples--a case series and review of the literature

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory rheumatic disorder in elderly people. It is frequently associated with giant-cell arteritis (GCA), although it is still debated if they are the same disease or two distinct pathologies. The etiology of PMR remains challenging, although current knowledge supports the role of both genetic and environmental factors. Among these, there is evidence that infectious agents could trigger the disease's onset in some cases. We describe the peculiar case where PMR occurred in two Italian married and cohabiting couples and provide a review of the literature for similar cases. This is the first reported occurrence of PMR in two conjugal pairs in Italy. Moreover, in the second case, the wife presented PMR associated with GCA. To date, seven cases of PMR and two of GCA in married couples are described in the literature. The occurrence of PMR in both a husband and a wife supports the pathogenetic role of an environmental factor.

Left atrial myxoma detected after an initial diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica

We herein report the case of a 69-year-old woman with left atrial myxoma detected following treatment with glucocorticoids for an initial diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). The glucocorticoids markedly improved the patient's symptoms, and the tumor was excised after rapidly tapering the glucocorticoid dose. The PMR-like symptoms did not recur and the inflammatory marker levels returned to normal after surgery. The patient's clinical course indicated that the initial PMR-like symptoms were entirely caused by the left atrial myxoma. This case demonstrates that glucocorticoid treatment for suspected PMR can mask the symptoms of myxoma, leading to a delay in diagnosis.

Recognition and management of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Polymyalgia rheumatica affects proximal muscles and joints, causing disability in older adults. Giant cell arteritis affects medium and large arteries and can result in blindness. These conditions overlap significantly, often occurring together. Despite the similarities, each has distinct symptoms, corticosteroid dosing requirements, and prognosis. The hallmark of both conditions is inflammation. Polymyalgia rheumatica primarily affects the shoulders, neck, and hips with prominent bilateral pain. Systemic findings such as fatigue and weight loss are common, and there is no definitive diagnostic test. Moderate-dose corticosteroid therapy with a slow taper rapidly resolves symptoms. Management of patients responding to treatment can occur in the primary care setting, if there is no concomitant giant cell arteritis. The clinical presentation of giant cell arteritis varies widely, from new-onset headache and constitutional symptoms, to jaw claudication, to less common isolated visual changes and upper extremity claudication. Treatment requires higher dosages of corticosteroids and urgent referral to a rheumatologist. Relapse is common in both diseases. Surveillance is important, as is monitoring for long-term complications of corticosteroid use. Osteoporosis management and gastrointestinal ulcer prophylaxis should be initiated. The primary care physician's coordination of care with a rheumatologist and with other subspecialists, if needed, is essential in the management of giant cell arteritis.

Pleural and pericardial effusion in a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica: a case presentation

Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that presents with bilateral pain and stiffness affecting mainly proximal muscles. It affects individuals over 50 years of age and it is usually associated with a raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Classically, treatment with low-dose corticosteroids results in a dramatic improvement in both symptoms and laboratory findings. We report the case of an 80 years old patient presenting polymyalgia rheumatica coinciding with pleuropericardial effusion. The patient had a very good response to treatment with rapid improvement in the symptomatology and laboratory findings. Polymyalgia Rheumatica is a common disease but it is rarely associated to pleuropericardial effusion. It should be considered in the differential diagnostic in patients presenting with pericardial effusion over 50 of age years due to the good response to treatment.

Is cancer associated with polymyalgia rheumatica? A cohort study in the General Practice Research Database

Objective

To investigate the incidence of new cancer diagnoses in a community sample of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).

Methods

All incident cases of PMR in the UK General Practice Research Database (GPRD) (1987–99), without pre-existing cancer or vascular disease and treated with corticosteroids (n=2877) were matched with up to five age, sex and GP practice patients without PMR (n=9942). Participants were followed up until first cancer diagnosis, death, transfer out of the database or end of available records.

Results

The mean age of the sample was 71.6 years (SD 9.0), 73% were female. Median follow-up time was 7.8 years (IQR 3.4, 12.3). 667 (23.2%) people with a PMR diagnosis developed cancer compared with 1938 (19.5%) of those without PMR. There was an interaction between PMR status and time. In the first 6 months after diagnosis, those with a PMR diagnosis were significantly more likely to receive a cancer diagnosis (adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.69 (1.18 to 2.42)). The number of events was small, but occurrences of prostate, blood, lymph nodes, female reproductive and nervous system cancers may be more common in those with PMR in the first 6 months after PMR diagnosis.

Conclusions

An increase in the rate of cancer diagnoses was noted in the first 6 months of observation, but we were unable to determine whether the cancer incidence in PMR was different from controls, beyond this time point. Clinicians should ensure they fully exclude cancer as a cause of PMR-like symptoms and monitor patients for possible malignancies.

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: how best to approach these related diseases

Each of these painful disorders can be challenging to diagnose, and many patients have both. Adequate glucocorticoid dosing and gradual tapering are key to treatment success.

Polymyalgia rheumatica in 2011

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that commonly affects individuals over 50 years of age, characterised by pain and morning stiffness of the shoulder and pelvic girdle. PMR can present as 'isolated' form or may be associated with giant cell arteritis. The progress of imaging techniques has helped in understanding different clinical patterns: subclinical vasculitis can occur in at least one-third of PMR patients, causing ischaemic complications. It is considered a polygenic disease and environmental factors may play a role in its pathogenesis, such as viral or bacterial triggers, both in the 'wide' form or assembled with adjuvants in vaccines. The response to steroid therapy is generally dramatic and side effects may occur, as well as the development of glucocorticoid resistance. The optimisation of therapy may require steroid-sparing agents as well as modified-release prednisone as 'nighttime' replacement therapy.

Giant cell arteritis

GCA is the prime medical emergency in ophthalmology because it may result in loss of vision in 1 or both eyes. This vision loss is preventable if patients are diagnosed early and treated immediately with high doses of corticosteroids.

Combination therapy with intralesional triamcinolone and oral dapsone for management of palisaded neutrophilic and granulomatous dermatitis

Palisaded neutrophilic and granulomatous dermatitis (PNGD) is a rare granulomatous disease with limited therapeutic options. Herein we present a patient whose skin lesions recurred after surgery and oral steroids, but responded well to a combination of intralesional triamcinolone and oral dapsone.

The epidemiology of polymyalgia rheumatica in primary care: a research protocol

BACKGROUND

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is the commonest inflammatory condition seen in older patients in primary care. To date, however, research has been focused on secondary care cohorts rather than primary care where many patients are exclusively managed. This two year prospective inception cohort study of PMR patients will enable us to understand the full spectrum of this condition.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with PMR in primary care will be identified via Read codes and mailed a series of postal questionnaires over a two-year period to assess their levels of pain, stiffness and functioning, as well as medication usage and other health-related and socio-demographic characteristics. In addition, participants will be asked for permission to link their survey data to their general practice electronic medical record and to national mortality and cancer registers.

DISCUSSION

This will be the first large-scale, prospective, observational cohort of PMR patients in primary care. The combination of survey data with medical records and national registers will allow for a full investigation of the natural history and prognosis of this condition in the primary care setting, in which the majority of patients are treated, but where little research on the treatment and outcome of consultation has been undertaken. This will provide information that may lead to improved primary care management of PMR.

2012 provisional classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica: a European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology collaborative initiative

The objective of this study was to develop EULAR/ACR classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Candidate criteria were evaluated in a 6-month prospective cohort study of 125 patients with new onset PMR and 169 non-PMR comparison subjects with conditions mimicking PMR. A scoring algorithm was developed based on morning stiffness >45 minutes (2 points), hip pain/limited range of motion (1 point), absence of RF and/or ACPA (2 points), and absence of peripheral joint pain (1 point). A score ≥4 had 68% sensitivity and 78% specificity for discriminating all comparison subjects from PMR. The specificity was higher (88%) for discriminating shoulder conditions from PMR and lower (65%) for discriminating RA from PMR. Adding ultrasound, a score ≥5 had increased sensitivity to 66% and specificity to 81%. According to these provisional classification criteria, patients ≥50 years old presenting with bilateral shoulder pain, not better explained by an alternative pathology, can be classified as having PMR in the presence of morning stiffness>45 minutes, elevated CRP and/or ESR and new hip pain. These criteria are not meant for diagnostic purposes.

Tuberculous cellulitis in a patient with chronic kidney disease and polymyalgia rheumatica

An 89-year-old man with advanced renal failure, polymyalgia rheumatica and a past history of tuberculosis was admitted with a high fever. Erythema and swelling appeared in the femoral region. Since the cellulitis failed to respond to antibiotic therapy, a skin biopsy was performed. The specimen showed the presence of epithelioid cell granuloma and panniculitis. Acid-fast organisms were found on Ziehl-Neelsen staining. A polymerase chain reaction test of tuberculosis was positive. Although a diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis was suggested, examinations of a bone marrow biopsy and fundoscopy revealed normal results. The patient's symptoms improved following treatment with isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol. This case represents an unusual presentation of tuberculous cellulitis in an immunocompromised patient.

[Low back pain and MRI-abnormalities: atypical polymyalgia rheumatica]

A 64-year-old man was admitted to hospital with increasing low back pain, radiating to his upper legs. MRI of the lumbar spine showed inflammatory lesions of vertebrae L3-L5, after which the patient was treated with flucloxacilline for 6 weeks. However, he did not improve and the pain became more extensive. Finally, PET-CT study showed abnormalities in shoulders, back and hips, indicating a probable diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica. Upon treatment with prednisone, the pain quickly decreased and 3 months later the inflammatory changes visible on MRI were clearly reduced. Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is often recognized by its typical clinical presentation, but in atypical cases, investigation using imaging may be helpful. Abnormalities in shoulder and hip joints are most common, but signs of cervical and lumbar interspinous bursitis might also be found in patients with PMR.

Complex prosthodontic treatment with dental implants for a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica: a clinical report

Prosthodontic and implant treatment for a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica can be complicated not only by its symptoms, but also by the side effects of long-term use of certain medications, particularly systemic glucocorticoids. This clinical report presents a polymyalgia rheumatica patient who required full-mouth rehabilitation with dental implants. The patient had a sensitive gag reflex and refused the use of any removable prostheses. She presented clinically with a skeletal Class II malocclusion with severe overbite and overjet. All her remaining dentition was determined to be unrestorable. Full-mouth extractions and immediate placement of implants followed by early implant loading were performed. The use of systemic glucocorticoids might have exacerbated her type 4 maxillary bone and compromised her healing capacity and consequently made implant surgery challenging. Her treatment with full-arch fixed implant-supported dentures to correct her severe overbite and overjet and manage misaligned dental implants is summarized here. The effects of polymyalgia rheumatica in prosthodontic and dental implant treatments are reviewed and discussed.

[Rituximab in the treatment of acquired haemophilia A in a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica]

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare but potentially life-threatening bleeding disorder. It is caused by the development of autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor VIII in adults or elderly patients, who do not have a personal or family history of bleeding.

CASE

A man (age: 76 years) on prednisone and leflunomide for polymyalgia rheumatica developed spontaneous severe haematomas. The patient was diagnosed with acquired factor VIII deficiency (FVIII activity 1.2%, FVIII inhibitor 31.7 BU). Due to the active bleeding diathesis, treatment was administered with activated prothrombin complex concentrates (FEIBA®, Baxter). Immunosuppressive treatment with a combination of oral prednisone (1 mg/kg daily) and cyclophosphamide (1,5 mg/kg daily) was administered to reduce the FVIII inhibitor. However, after two weeks of treatment, FVIII was only 3% and no clinical improvement was observed. Treatment with the anti CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab intravenously at 375 mg/m2 once weekly for four consecutive weeks was started. The patient showed rapid clinical improvement following rituximab treatment. He achieved a complete remission defined as return to normal FVIII activity and undetectable FVIII inhibitor titer. After a follow-up of six months no relapse occurred.

CONCLUSION

Rituximab appears an effective and well-tolerated treatment for patients with acquired haemophilia.

A case of apoplectic lymphocytic hypophysitis complicated by polymyalgia rheumatica

A case of apoplectic lymphocytic hypophysitis complicated by polymyalgia rheumatica (PMA) is described. A 72-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to severe headache. Two months prior to admission, the patients had exhibited recent-onset stiffness and myalgia of shoulder and pelvic girdle that was compatible with PMR. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass lesion in the pituitary fossa with focal hemorrhage. Endocrinologic studies demonstrated hypopituitarism. The headache and myalgia were improving with corticosteroid treatment; however, a trans-sphenoidal surgery was performed due to visual field loss. A white-colored mass was resected, and histologic examination showed diffuse infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells consistent with lymphocytic hypophysitis. Post-operatively, the headache and visual field loss resolved completely. This is the first documented case of apoplectic lymphocytic hypophysitis complicating PMR, and a possible mechanism for this rare association was discussed.

Cancer risk in patients hospitalized with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: a follow-up study in Sweden

OBJECTIVES

Studies reporting cancer risk after PMR and GCA are few, but it remains an issue of both concern and controversy. We examined the overall and specific cancer risks among Swedish subjects following hospitalization for these diseases.

METHODS

PMR and GCA patients were identified from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register and by linking them with the Cancer Registry. Follow-up of patients was carried out from the last hospitalization through year 2006. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated in these patients compared with subjects without the diseases.

RESULTS

A total of 35 918 patients were hospitalized for PMR and GCA during the years 1965-2006; the hospitalization rate increased towards late age. A total of 3941 patients developed subsequent cancer, giving an overall SIR of 1.19; and for cancer diagnosed later than 1 year of follow-up, the SIR was 1.06. A significant excess was noted for skin (squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma), stomach, lung, prostate, kidney, nervous system and endocrine gland tumours, and additionally for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myeloma and leukaemia. Decreased risk was noted for endometrial cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients hospitalized for PMR and GCA had a marginally increased risk of cancer, with the highest risk noted for the first year after hospitalization. However, for specific cancers, such as skin cancer and leukaemia, the increases were still significant for patients diagnosed later than 1 year after hospitalization, suggesting that these could be true associations, but the mechanisms remain to be established.

[Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: what's new?]

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and temporal arteritis (TA) are 2 common conditions in the elderly patient. Early diagnosis and rapid introduction of treatment with corticosteroids is critical, in order to avoid potentially serious complications. The diagnosis is largely clinical for PMR, whereas it is both clinical and histopathological for TA. Certain situations may require complementary investigations such as ultrasound or PET-CT. Bilateral subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis is extremely frequent in patients with PMR, but rarely present in healthy subjects. Intravenous bolus corticosteroids may be useful at presentation with TA, particularly when associated with visual symptoms. There may be a role for disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) such as methotrexate in reducing the requirement for corticosteroids. Finally, clinical and radiological follow-up is important in order to detect aortic aneurysms or large vessel involvement.