La Revue de médecine interne
-
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a frequent cause for long-term corticosteroid therapy. Management of PMR is difficult and recommendations (regarding diagnosis and treatment) from the British Society of Rheumatology have been recently published in order to avoid false diagnosis and unnecessary corticosteroid therapy. On the other hand, late onset spondyloarthropathies are difficult to diagnose due to their various presentation (peripheral and axial manifestations, usually associated with severe systemic manifestations) and the absence of validated diagnosis criteria in the elderly. ⋯ Among PMR patients with poor response to corticosteroids and multiple flares, the possibility of a late onset spondyloarthropathy should be discussed. There is an unmet need for validated diagnosis criteria in such patients.