Biomaterial Database

Myalgias and Myopathies: Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis. 2016

Katherine Mansalis

David Grant Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program - Travis Air Force Base, 101 Bodin Circle, Travis AFB, California 94535.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are related inflammatory disorders that often coexist. Both are most common among women, whites, and older individuals. PMR is characterized by morning stiffness, pain, and decreased range of motion in the shoulders, neck, and pelvis. Diagnosing PMR can be challenging because no standard set of criteria or single diagnostic test exists. Patients with PMR benefit rapidly from treatment with oral glucocorticoids, and full recovery is likely, although adverse effects of treatment contribute to morbidity. GCA is a subacute vasculitis in which focal, segmental inflammatory infiltrates primarily affect cranial arteries. Diagnosis of GCA is based on clinical features, such as headache, jaw pain, vision changes, and temporal artery tenderness, along with an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and inflammation seen on temporal artery biopsy. Permanent vision loss can occur, so patients who may have temporal arteritis should be started on glucocorticoids promptly. If treatment for GCA is started before visual symptoms progress, the prognosis for a full recovery is good. In PMR and GCA, relapses or exacerbations necessitating changes in therapy occur in up to 60% of patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009135	Muscular Diseases	Acquired, familial, and congenital disorders of SKELETAL MUSCLE and SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Muscle Disorders,Myopathies,Myopathic Conditions,Muscle Disorder,Muscular Disease,Myopathic Condition,Myopathy
D011111	Polymyalgia Rheumatica	A syndrome in the elderly characterized by proximal joint and muscle pain, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and a self-limiting course. Pain is usually accompanied by evidence of an inflammatory reaction. Women are affected twice as commonly as men and Caucasians more frequently than other groups. The condition is frequently associated with GIANT CELL ARTERITIS and some theories pose the possibility that the two diseases arise from a single etiology or even that they are the same entity.	Forestier-Certonciny Syndrome,Pseudopolyarthritis, Rhizomelic,Rheumatism, Peri-Extra-Articular,Forestier Certonciny Syndrome,Peri-Extra-Articular Rheumatism,Pseudopolyarthritides, Rhizomelic,Rheumatism, Peri Extra Articular,Rhizomelic Pseudopolyarthritides,Rhizomelic Pseudopolyarthritis,Syndrome, Forestier-Certonciny
D005260	Female		Females
D005938	Glucocorticoids	A group of CORTICOSTEROIDS that affect carbohydrate metabolism (GLUCONEOGENESIS, liver glycogen deposition, elevation of BLOOD SUGAR), inhibit ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE secretion, and possess pronounced anti-inflammatory activity. They also play a role in fat and protein metabolism, maintenance of arterial blood pressure, alteration of the connective tissue response to injury, reduction in the number of circulating lymphocytes, and functioning of the central nervous system.	Glucocorticoid,Glucocorticoid Effect,Glucorticoid Effects,Effect, Glucocorticoid,Effects, Glucorticoid
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D013700	Giant Cell Arteritis	A systemic autoimmune disorder that typically affects medium and large ARTERIES, usually leading to occlusive granulomatous vasculitis with transmural infiltrate containing multinucleated GIANT CELLS. The TEMPORAL ARTERY is commonly involved. This disorder appears primarily in people over the age of 50. Symptoms include FEVER; FATIGUE; HEADACHE; visual impairment; pain in the jaw and tongue; and aggravation of pain by cold temperatures. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed)	Aortic Arteritis, Giant Cell,Aortitis, Giant Cell,Arteritis, Temporal,Cranial Arteritis,Horton Disease,Horton Giant Cell Arteritis,Juvenile Temporal Arteritis,Temporal Arteritis,Arteritis, Giant Cell, Horton,Arteritis, Giant Cell, Horton's,Giant Cell Aortic Arteritis,Giant Cell Aortitis,Giant Cell Aortitis, Horton's,Giant Cell Arteritis, Horton,Horton's Disease,Horton's Giant Cell Arteritis,Aortitides, Giant Cell,Arteritides, Cranial,Arteritides, Giant Cell,Arteritides, Juvenile Temporal,Arteritides, Temporal,Arteritis, Cranial,Arteritis, Giant Cell,Arteritis, Juvenile Temporal,Cranial Arteritides,Giant Cell Aortitides,Giant Cell Arteritides,Hortons Disease,Juvenile Temporal Arteritides,Temporal Arteritides,Temporal Arteritides, Juvenile,Temporal Arteritis, Juvenile
D063806	Myalgia	Painful sensation in the muscles.	Muscle Soreness,Muscle Pain,Muscle Tenderness,Muscle Sorenesses,Pain, Muscle,Pains, Muscle,Soreness, Muscle,Tenderness, Muscle