title: Polymyalgia rheumatica: clinical presentation is key to diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: Polymyalgia rheumatica should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients over 50 years old who present with bilateral achiness and stiffness in the shoulders or hips or both. It usually responds quickly to once-daily, low-dose prednisone, but some patients require treatment for several years. Polymyalgia rheumatica frequently overlaps with giant cell arteritis, and patients must be followed closely for development of complications from this condition, especially aortitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. mandelb@ccf.org
authors.forename: Brian F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Mandell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*