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. 2024 Nov 4;8(1):58.
doi: 10.1186/s41927-024-00422-6.

Norwegian society of rheumatology recommendations on diagnosis and treatment of patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica: a narrative review

Stig Tengesdal  1   2 , Andreas P Diamantopoulos  3 , Lene Kristin Brekke  4 , Emilio Besada  5   6 , Geirmund Myklebust  7
Affiliations

Norwegian society of rheumatology recommendations on diagnosis and treatment of patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica: a narrative review

Stig Tengesdal et al. BMC Rheumatol. .

Abstract

Background: To provide evidence-based, up-to-date recommendations for physicians in primary and specialist healthcare setting in diagnosing and treating patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).

Methods: The PMR working group conducted a narrative review of the available evidence in the field and wrote the draft guidelines. These guidelines were discussed and revised according to the standard operating procedures within the Norwegian Society of Rheumatology. The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) recommendations for the management of PMR, the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) guidelines for the management for PMR, the treat-to-target recommendations in giant cell arteritis and PMR and the 2023 recommendations for early referral of individuals with suspected polymyalgia rheumatica were used in particular for purpose of harmonization.

Results: A total of 10 recommendations have been formulated covering initial diagnostic investigations, comorbidity assessment, imaging, specialist referral criteria, treatment involving glucocorticoids and steroid-sparing agents and follow-up care.

Conclusion: Norwegian recommendations for diagnostics and treatment to improve management and outcome in patients with PMR were developed.

Keywords: Diagnosis; Guideline; Management; Polymyalgia rheumatica; Treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Suggested algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of PMR*. *Algorithm adapted from 2015 EULAR/ACR recommendations for management of PMR [21] and Buttgereit et al. 2016 [55]. **A higher- or lower initial dose within the range of 12.5-25 mg/day may be considered depending on risk of relapses, adverse events, comorbidities and/or other risk factors for GC-related adverse effects
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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