Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Repeated short corticotropin testing in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica
Authors' conclusion
GIAI was frequent but reversible during GC treatment for PMR
Study context
- Population
- Newly diagnosed patients with PMR, first 18 months after diagnosis
- Participants
- 60 participants
- Outcome
- Prevalence of GC-induced adrenal insufficiency (GIAI; stimulated serum cortisol <420 nmol/l)
Methodological detailsrepeated short corticotropin testing
- Repeated short corticotropin testing
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
GIAI prevalence (peak) · month 6
All patients
25%
13 events
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mean stimulated cortisol over time
- Baseline, mean (SD)
- 678 ± 95
- Month 6, mean (SD)
- 491 ± 114
- Month 12, mean (SD)
- 549 ± 100
- Declined significantly between baseline and month 6
Stimulated cortisol vs current glucocorticoid (GC) dose
- Inverse relationship
- P < 0.001
Adrenal function recovery among GIAI at month 6 · 12 months
- Recovered
- 12/13 (92%)
GIAI in patients no longer receiving GC · month 12 and month 18
- Month 12
- 1/31 (3%)
- Month 18
- 0/12 (0%)
Original publication
Repeated short corticotropin testing in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 20 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →