Baseline shoulder ultrasonography did not predict glucocorticoid response in patients with polymyalgia

Baseline shoulder ultrasonography was not predictive of glucocorticoid response in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica after 12 months, according to results of a recently published study.

Maria Concetta Micelli, MD, in the Institute of Rheumatology and Affine Sciences at Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, and colleagues evaluated absence of girdle pain and morning stiffness in 66 patients who underwent bilateral shoulder ultrasound evaluations before initiation of prednisone therapy. Researchers determined the association between presence of ultrasound (US) subdeltoid bursitis (SB) or biceps tenosynovitis (BT) at baseline and response to standard glucocorticoid therapy after 12 months.

At baseline, 70% of patients had presence of SB or BT. At follow-up, 72% of these patients became negative and 28% became positive. At 6 months, all patients achieved clinical remission and achieved laboratory variable normalization. There was no difference in remission or relapse rate after 12 months, according to US positivity at baseline. In addition, 46% of patients still took more than 5 mg of prednisone per day at 6 months and 11% did this at 12 months. There was no difference in mean glucocorticoid dose at 6 and 12 months. – by Will Offit

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.