title: Lack of association of high body mass index with risk for developing polymyalgia rheumatica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High body mass index (BMI) may have modulatory effects on the immune system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between BMI and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) as well as the influence of BMI on glucocorticoid treatment duration and development of giant-cell arteritis (GCA) in patients with PMR.
  
  
  METHODS
  The BMI of 364 patients with PMR from a population-based incidence cohort was compared to the BMI of non-PMR subjects from the same population. High and low BMI were defined as > or = 25 and < 18.5 kg/m2, respectively. The association between BMI and case status was determined. The association between BMI and the duration of glucocorticoid therapy, as well as the development of GCA after accounting for relevant variables, were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean BMI at index was similar in both groups (PMR: 26 +/- 5.4 kg/m2; non-PMR: 25.9 +/- 4.0 kg/m(2), P = 0.83). There was no association between BMI and the duration of glucocorticoid therapy. No significant association was found between BMI and the development of GCA in patients with PMR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with high BMI (> or = 25 kg/m2) are not more likely to develop PMR. BMI did not influence the duration of glucocorticoid therapy or the occurrence of GCA in patients with PMR.
authors: Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. hoganson.deana@mayo.edu
authors: Deana D
authors: DD
authors: Hoganson
authors: Cynthia S
authors: CS
authors: Crowson
authors: Kenneth J
authors: KJ
authors: Warrington
authors: Sherine E
authors: SE
authors: Gabriel
authors: Eric L
authors: EL
authors: Matteson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000209:etiology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids