title: Antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus, enteroviruses and respiratory syncytial virus in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between the onset of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and prior or persistent infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae or cytomegalovirus (CMV) (both known to infect the vessel wall) enteroviruses (EV) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from 48 patients with newly-diagnosed PMR and from 22 controls of the same age. The presence of IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies to C. pneumoniae, IgG and IgM antibodies to CMV and EV, and complement fixing antibodies to RSV were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical symptoms of infection preceding PMR symptoms were associated with the presence of synovitis at the first visit. There were no significant differences in the seroprevalence rates of antibodies to C. pneumoniae, CMV, EV or RSV between PMR patients and controls. IgM antibodies to EV were found in two patients and IgM antibodies to CMV in another two patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serological evidence of an association between newly-diagnosed PMR and prior or chronic infection with C. pneumoniae was not found. IgM antibodies to EV in two patients, consistent with ongoing or recent infection, suggest that EV could represent one of perhaps several microbes which are able to trigger PMR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Northern Sweden, Umed, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uddhammar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rantapää Dahlqvist
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000276:immunology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G