These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica/giant cell arteritis.
    Author: Kyle V.
    Journal: Baillieres Clin Rheumatol; 1991 Dec; 5(3):485-91. PubMed ID: 1807823.
    Abstract:
    Corticosteroids control arteritis in GCA and suppress polymyalgic symptoms within days of starting treatment. PMR patients can be treated with approximately 15 mg prednisolone/day, reducing the dose to 7.5-10 mg by 8 weeks. GCA is normally controlled on 40 mg prednisolone/day, although patients with persistent visual symptoms may need 60-80 mg. Slow reduction to about 20 mg by 8 weeks should minimize relapses. For both PMR and GCA a maintenance dose of 7.5 mg after 6-9 months should be enough. Steroid withdrawal is possible within 2 years of starting treatment, although some will need 4 years or more. Relapse should be defined clinically; the ESR is the most useful laboratory parameter. Steroid side-effects can be minimized by using low doses of prednisolone whenever possible and azathioprine may be used as a steroid-sparing agent.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]