Treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica: British Society for Rheumatology guideline scope

Toyoda, Task; Armitstead, Zoe; Bhide, Sampada; Engamba, Serge; Henderson, Emma; Jones, Claire; MacKeith, Pieter; Maddock, Janice; Reynolds, Gary; Scrafton, Nicola; Subesinghe, Manil; Subesinghe, Sujith; Twohig, Helen; Mackie, Sarah L; Yates, Max

Abstract

The last British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) guideline on PMR was published in 2009. The guideline needs to be updated to provide a summary of the current evidence for pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of adults with PMR. This guideline is aimed at healthcare professionals in the UK who directly care for people with PMR, including general practitioners, rheumatologists, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, psychologists and other health professionals. It will also be relevant to people living with PMR and organisations that support them in the public and third sector, including charities and informal patient support groups. This guideline will be developed using the methods and processes outlined in the BSR Guidelines Protocol. Here we provide a brief summary of the scope of the guideline update in development.

What does this mean for patients?PMR is a common condition that causes pain, stiffness, fatigue and difficulty in doing everyday activities. PMR is usually treated with glucocorticoids (corticosteroids, 'steroids'). However, the side effects of treatment can cause problems for many patients. Since the publication of the last guideline for PMR, new research has been published. This guideline will provide healthcare professionals and people with PMR with the information they need to reach shared decisions with clinicians about their treatment, based on the best currently available evidence. In order to do this, we have formed a guideline working group and we will follow the BSR's protocol for creating a robust clinical guideline [].

Citation

Toyoda, T., Armitstead, Z., Bhide, S., Engamba, S., Henderson, E., Jones, C., …Yates, M. (in press). Treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica: British Society for Rheumatology guideline scope. Rheumatology Advances in Practice, 8(1), Article rkae002. https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkae002

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 28, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Feb 14, 2024
• Deposit Date: Feb 26, 2024
• Journal: Rheumatology Advances in Practice
• Print ISSN: 2514-1775
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: rkae002
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkae002
• Keywords: management, treatment, polymyalgia rheumatica
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/rheumap/article/8/1/rkae002/7606885