Polymyalgia rheumatica - an up-to-date review on diagnosis and management

Abstract

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease in those over the age of 50 years. Previously it was considered to be a benign clinical syndrome characterised by subacute onset bilateral shoulder and pelvic girdle pain and stiffness, with a corresponding rise in acute phase reactants, and distinctive rapid resolution of symptoms with the instigation of moderate doses of glucocorticoids. However, over the past decade, with the advancements and, indeed, wider application of imaging modalities in PMR, we have garnered an increased understanding of the anatomic predilection of inflammation and, subsequently, disease pathogenesis. Moreover, our appreciation of the relationship between PMR and giant cell arteritis (GCA) has strengthened. Glucocorticoids have formed the cornerstone of the management of PMR for decades, with often protracted treatment durations and associated high cumulative steroid burden and adverse effects. However, we are now on the cusp of a new era in the management of PMR, with our therapeutic armamentarium expanding with the recent FDA approval of the interleukin -6 antagonist sarilumab for the management of refractory disease. It is an exciting time for PMR, and this review aims to explore the recent advancements in both diagnosis and management, while also providing an updated perspective on the relationship between PMR and GCA.