抄録
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), a common inflammatory rheumatic disease, typically
affects elderly individuals and has been known to respond well to low dosages of corticosteroids.
The aim of this study is to evaluate predictive factors that correspond to subsequent remission of
PMR. Twenty-four patients with PMR were treated with prednisolone. After 2 years, patients
were divided into prednisolone-free remission and no remission groups for comparison of clinical
factors. Ten patients (41.7%) had achieved prednisolone-free remission at 2 years. The level of
initial CRP was not significantly different between the groups. Significantly short duration from
the treatment start to negative CRP was observed in patients with prednisolone-free remission
when compared in those with no remission. The percentage of patients who showed negative
CRP after 8 weeks was significantly higher in the prednisolone-free remission group than in the
no remission group. The prednisolone dosage at 1 year was significantly less in prednisolonefree remission group than in the no remission group. This study suggests that, even if the initial
CRP levels are high, negative CRP early in the treatment results in a subsequent prednisolonefree remission.
