The value of percentage of CD8+ T lymphocyte levels in distinguishing polymyalgia rheumatica from early rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the low absolute numbers and percentages of CD8 positive T cells in the circulation of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) could be used as a new diagnostic criterion for the disease.


METHODS
The % CD4 and CD8 positive T lymphocyte sub-populations were measured in 37 patients with PRM before treatment and during steroid treatment over the subsequent 2 years, in 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and in 27 normal (N) control subjects.


RESULTS
During the study, 10 patients, who were initially diagnosed as PMR, were reclassified as having had a myalgic onset of RA (PMR-RA), according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria for the diagnosis of RA. No decreased %CD8+ T lymphocyte subset had been observed in these patients at presentation, before steroid therapy, or during treatment with steroids when compared with the RA and N groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of %CD8+ T cell subset may provide a simple method for determining whether patients presenting with myalgia are "true" PMR or are destined to develop RA.
Corrigall
V M
VM
United Medical School, Division of Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
Dolan
A L
AL
Panayi
G S
GS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors