← Return to Giant Cell Arteritis Diagnosis

Discussion

Giant Cell Arteritis Diagnosis

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Nov 3, 2023 | Replies (50)
Comment receiving replies
@johnbishop

@oztrax, Here's some information you might want to discuss with your GP if you can't see a rheumatologist.

" Five overarching principles and six-specific recommendations were formulated. Management of GCA and PMR should be based on shared decisions between patient and physician recognising the need for urgent treatment of GCA to avoid ischaemic complications, and it should aim at maximising health-related quality of life in both diseases. The treatment targets are achievement and maintenance of remission, as well as prevention of tissue ischaemia and vascular damage. Comorbidities need to be considered when assessing disease activity and selecting treatment."
--- Treat-to-target recommendations in giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica:
https://ard.bmj.com/content/early/2023/02/23/ard-2022-223429

Jump to this post

Replies to "@oztrax, Here's some information you might want to discuss with your GP if you can't see..."
DadCue | @dadcue | Mar 26, 2023

Thank-you @johnbishop

This is a GREAT link because it points out that diagnosing PMR/GCA is one thing and treating PMR/GCA is another thing. Here are a couple of excerpts that stand out to me. These excerpts point out that historically, when PMR/GCA was treated with prednisone, it was never "targeted."

"Glucocorticoids (GC) are the standard treatment for GCA and PMR. Unfortunately, GC-related toxicity occurs in up to 85% of patients.1 2 In addition, many patients have pre-existing comorbidities that may worsen with GC therapy. Moreover, the prevalence of symptomatic disease relapse is high: in cohort studies, 34–62% of people with GCA and/or PMR were reported to have at least one relapse.4"

and

"Up to now, T2T is not a recognized treatment approach in GCA and PMR, and to this point there has not been a systematic evaluation and consensus finding process on this topic. The development of T2T recommendations for GCA/PMR, therefore, addresses a current unmet medical need.12"

I look forward to the day when prednisone IS NOT the only option! It does seem like PMR/GCA is getting the attention needed to make some progress.

"

VIEW AND REPLY