Polymyalgia rheumatica: A case series from Colombia and analysis of Latin America

Carlos Enrique Toro-Gutiérrez, Carlos A. Cañas, Rubén D. Mantilla, Santiago Beltrán, Vivian Pastrana-Gonzalez, Milly J. Vecino, Mónica Rodriguez-Jimenez, Manuel Rojas

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch Articlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the most common inflammatory disease in patients over 50 years. Information about the disease in Latin America (LATAM) is scarce. We aimed to evaluate a group of Colombian patients with PMR and to conduct a systematic review of PMR in LATAM. Methods: A multicentric retrospective study was performed. Medical records of 256 PMR patients were evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups, those fulfilling the 2012 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) classification criteria for PMR and those who did not (i.e., clinical diagnosis). A systematic literature review and meta regression was performed comparing Colombian vs LATAM patients. Results: From 256 patients, 145 (56.6%) fulfilled the 2012 EULAR/ACR criteria, and 111 (43.3%) were classified by clinical diagnosis. Inflammatory bilateral shoulder pain, pelvic girdle aching, morning stiffness >45 min, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CPR), and Methotrexate (MTX) prescription were more common in the 2012 EULAR/ACR group. None of the included patients presented overt polyautoimmunity (PolyA), whereas up to 24% exhibited latent PolyA. In addition, these patients showed high frequency of malignancy (7.59%). In the meta regression analysis, Colombian patients exhibited lower ESR levels, and were less likely to develop giant cell arteritis (GCA) as compared to the rest of LATAM data. Conclusion: Patients with PMR in LATAM exhibit similar phenotypes from other cohorts worldwide. Malignancy, GCA and latent PolyA should be considered in the routine clinical follow-up of patients with PMR.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number100115
JournalJournal of Translational Autoimmunity
Volume4
Early online dateAug 21 2021
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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