title: Polymyalgia rheumatica: strategies for efficient practice and quality assurance.
abstract: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease in persons over the age of 50 years. There are many diseases which mimic PMR, for which reason a careful diagnostic approach is required. While it is thought to be exquisitely responsive to glucocorticosteroid therapy, many patients respond incompletely and/or develop serious side effects over the protracted disease course. Improved methods for classification and disease assessment together with standardized treatment approaches and outcome assessments can serve to improve the care of patients with this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. schirmer.michael@icloud.com.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dejaco
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Southend University Hospital, Westcliff-on-Sea, UK.
authors.forename: Bhaskar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dasgupta
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA. matteson.eric@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Eric L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9208-7809
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Matteson
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000592:standards; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000592:standards*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids
keywords: Classification criteria; Diagnosis; Outcome; Polymyalgia rheumatica; Quality measures; Treatment