title: Behavior of prealbumin in the acute phase of polymyalgia rheumatica treated with 6-methylprednisolone.
abstract: Serum levels of prealbumin, fibronectin, fibrinogen, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, C-reactive protein, immunoglobulins, and white blood cell count were prospectively studied in 33 patients affected by polymyalgia rheumatica during the first 45 days of treatment with 6-methylprednisolone. Almost all parameters considered, except for fibronectin and IgM, settled within the normal range fairly quickly, while prealbumin showed a specular course compared with the other reactants. This behavior reflected the improvement of clinical symptoms registered in all patients after steroid treatment. Finally, the genesis of the low baseline prealbumin levels found in polymyalgia rheumatica/giant cell arteritis and their behavior during treatment are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Reumatologia, Università degli Studi di Pisa.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Puccetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucchetti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melchiorre
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuccotti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marotta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Remorini
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ciompi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011228:Prealbumin; D008775:Methylprednisolone