Notable Publication: Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica by Rheumatology Providers – Analysis from the American College of Rheumatology RISE Registry

The UPMC Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology’s Sebastian E. Sattui, MD, MS, and Robyn T. Domsic, MD, MPH, recently published a study in Arthritis Care and Research that describes the demographics, comorbidities, and treatment patterns in a national cohort of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) who received care from rheumatology providers.

Other researchers included faculty from University of Alabama at Birmingham and Duke Cancer Institute.

Abstract¹

Method: Patients with PMR were identified in the American College of Rheumatology Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry from 2016 to 2022. Use of glucocorticoids and steroid-sparing agents (i.e., immunomodulatory antirheumatic medications) were examined overall and in a subgroup of patients new to the rheumatology practices, the majority with presumed new-onset PMR. In these patients, multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with persistent glucocorticoid and steroid-sparing agent use at 12 to 24 months.

Results: 16,703 patients were included in the analysis. The most prevalent comorbidities were:

• Hypertension (81.2%).
• Congestive heart failure (52.4%).
• Hyperlipidemia (41.3%).
• Ischemic heart disease (36%).

At baseline, 92.3% of patients were on glucocorticoids, and only 13.1% were on a steroid-sparing agent. At 12 to 24 months, most patients remained on glucocorticoids (63.8%). Although there was an increase in use through follow up, steroid-sparing agents were only prescribed to a minority (39%) despite the prolonged use of glucocorticoids.

Conclusion: In this large national cohort of patients with PMR, only a small number of patients were prescribed steroid-sparing agents during the first 24 months of follow up. Most patients remained on glucocorticoids for one year. Further assessment of patients who would benefit from steroid-sparing agents and the timing of steroid-sparing agent initiation is needed.

View the full study.

Reference

1. Sattui SE, Xie F, Wan Z, Clinton C, Domsic RT, Curtis JR. Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica by Rheumatology Providers: Analysis from the American College of Rheumatology RISE Registry. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024 Feb;76(2):259-264. doi: 10.1002/acr.25216. Epub 2023 Oct 25. PMID: 37563714.