Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2025
Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain
Published on: May 16, 2025
Characteristics of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica based on glucocorticoid dose in Japan: A cohort study using
Yoshiya Tanaka1, Toshiya Takahashi2, Shoichiro Inokuchi3
1First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Objectives:
This study aimed to describe the characteristics, inflammatory markers as surrogates for disease activity, and treatment of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in Japan.
Methods:
This cohort study analysed the data of 373 patients with PMR retrieved from an electronic medical record database in Japan. Patients were classified into quartiles, based on the daily glucocorticoid (GC) dose over the initial 90 days of treatment (Q1-Q4).
Results:
The low GC dose group (Q1) had more patients aged ≥90 years (11.7%) and a higher prevalence of comorbidities. At 52 weeks, GC-free remission was achieved in 10% of patients and higher C-reactive protein levels were observed during the follow-up period. In contrast, the high GC dose group (Q4) exhibited a slower decline in C-reactive protein levels and more events of increased GC dose compared to Q1-Q3. The introduction of methotrexate was low, with 4.3-7.3% of patients. The incidence of osteoporosis and diabetes was higher in patients <75 years, whereas the incidence of hypertension was higher in patients ≥75 years.
Conclusions:
Patients refractory to high GC doses were identified. Patients receiving inadequately low doses of GCs were older with more comorbidities. This study highlights the unmet medical needs for PMR.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:21Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Inhaled Corticosteroids and Glucocorticoids
ICS work through a multifaceted mechanism of action. They suppress the inflammatory response caused by the proliferation of TH cells. They also reduce the transcription of the IL-2 gene, which is involved in the...
01:24Rational Dosage Regimen: Maintenance Dose and Loading Dose
In most cases, drugs are administered repetitively or infused continuously to maintain a steady-state concentration in the body. At a steady...
01:01Dosage Regimen: Fixed Dose
Fixed-dose regimens can be used for various routes of administration, including intravenous (IV) injections and oral medications. For IV administration, a predetermined amount of the drug is...
01:11Renal Failure: Dose Adjustments
Reduced renal clearance and elimination rate are common outcomes of renal impairment. These alterations lead to a prolonged elimination half-life and an altered apparent volume of distribution for drugs. As a result, dosage adjustments are typically necessary to maintain optimal drug levels in the body.
However, dosage adjustments...
01:29Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents