[Polymyalgia rheumatica--clinical observations on 90 patients]

The clinical and laboratory data recorded during a several month study of 90 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica are presented. Especially with elderly women who lack other symptoms it should be borne in mind that muscular and articular pain in the scapular and pelvic regions together with an excessive increase in the blood sedimentation rate--more than 100 mm during the first hour are frequent--may indicate this disease. It is often accompanied by an arteritis of the temporal vessels (giant cell arteritis), which increases the danger of uni- or bilateral loss of sight. In our case material unilateral loss of sight occurred in 3% of the patients, bilateral loss of sight was not observed. A general disturbance in the patients well-being, occasional attacks of fever, non-specific signs of inflammation in the haematological findings and symptomatic anaemia mask the clinical picture and make diagnosis difficult. Initial high doses of cortisonoid and following long-term therapy make all signs and symptoms disappear. The disease can last for several years. The prognosis is favourable. The cause is still unknown.