Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Symptom Severity and Glucocorticoid Dosing in Patients With Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Obesity
Authors' conclusion
Obesity affects both symptom severity and prednisone utilization in patients with PMR.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with recent-onset polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) followed over 6 months with clinical examination, laboratory evaluation and girdle ultrasound (US)
- Participants
- 83 patients
- Comparison
- PMR with obesity vs without obesity
- Obesityn = 12
- Primary endpoint
- Relationship between high BMI and severity and outcome of PMR
Methodological detailsgrouped by BMI
- Grouped by BMI
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Baseline symptom severity
- More shoulder pain with obesity
- P = 0.03
- More global pain with obesity
- P = 0.03
- Higher PMR visual analog scale (VAS) with obesity
- P < 0.01
- More fatigue with obesity
- P = 0.03
- Higher modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ) with obesity
- P = 0.01
- Lower SF-36 physical component summary with obesity
- P = 0.048
- Lower SF-36 pain index with obesity
- P < 0.001
Further findings
Initial prednisone dose per kg · baseline
P < 0.01
Mean daily prednisone dose · 6 months
P = 0.02
Prednisone dose higher than standard protocol · 6 months
P = 0.048
Initial prednisone dose per kg · baseline
- Mean initial prednisone dose similar among groups
Clinical features, laboratory and US results
- Similar between patients with and without obesity
Original publication
Symptom Severity and Glucocorticoid Dosing in Patients With Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Obesity. J Rheumatol. Published 1 November 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →