A district audit on the management of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Abstract

Twenty-one hospital consultants, representing 20% of the hospital specialists and 54 general practitioners representing 22% of the general practitioners in the Norwich Health District were circulated a questionnaire on the management of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis, as part of a departmental audit. The wide variations in the diagnosis and treatment of these two common conditions are shown in this study. Appropriate recommendations have been made for these two common conditions in the hope of providing a useful guideline for more uniform and effective therapy. We intend to repeat this study at a later date to assess if any of the recommendations have been undertaken successfully.