What
is PMR and GCA?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Polymyalgia Rheumatica or PMR is a rheumatic condition which attacks twice
as many females as males aged 55 and over. The average age of onset is round
about 70 years.
It affects 1 in 2000 people. It can start slowly with flu like symptoms and
it can start so suddenly that one morning you find you cannot get out of bed
because you are so stiff and sore.
Diagnosis is difficult because other conditions, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis,
have similar symptoms. The Doctor makes his diagnosis on the basis of a blood
test and other factors. Early morning stiffness which eases as the day progresses
is a significant factor along with severe pain in the shoulders, thighs and
pelvic area. There is no known cause, no known cure and very little research
is being done.
The most common treatment is initially a fairly high dose of Prednisolone,
a steroid, which is reduced as quickly as possible because of the danger of
osteoporosis if taken over long periods of time, along with treatment to avoid
osteoporosis. The steroid treatment usually reduces the pain and stiffness
quite quickly and often miraculously. What it is not so good at is alleviating
the unreasonable fatigue and pain that continues for some people . In the
case of most people the condition burns itself out after 2 – 2½ years. It
can recur.
Giant Cell Arteritis
Giant Cell Arteritis, GCA or Temporal Arteritis affects the same group of
people as PMR. You can have it without PMR but they often go together.
GCA is characterised by severe headache, inflammation of the temporal arteries,
pain in the muscles of the head and sometimes jaw stiffness. It must be treated
swiftly with a higher dose of Prednisolone than in the case of PMR because
sufferers are at risk of going irreversibly blind and of having a stroke.
It can also be characterised by unreasonable fatigue and pain and stiffness.
Research and Hope
There is a team led by Professor Bhaskar Dasgupta at Southend Hospital which
is beginning some research. Along with the British Society for Rheumatology
they are bringing out new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PMR.
There is also an independent research unit in Arizona under the auspices of
the National Medical Research Foundation.
Dr Sarah Mackie of Leeds University is undertaking a 3 year project, funded
by Help the Aged, researching GCA.
Reasons for lack of urgency in research so far :
- Few of us are still in the workforce,
- The conditions are not life-threatening,
- We are a generation brought up not to make a fuss, or even discuss illness - but that is changing.
For an information package
about PMR and GCA, send an email to the address listed below:
Disclaimer: please
note that this website does not have any official medical authority.
