Outcome Measures in Polymyalgia Rheumatica. A Systematic Review

• Published in: Journal of rheumatology 2015-12, Vol.42 (12), p.2503-2511
• Main Authors: Duarte, Cátia, Ferreira, Ricardo Jorge de Oliveira, Mackie, Sarah Louise, Kirwan, John Richard, Pereira da Silva, José António
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Blood Sedimentation; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Consensus Development Conferences as Topic; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Male; Observational Studies as Topic; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Pain Measurement; Polymyalgia Rheumatica - diagnosis; Polymyalgia Rheumatica - drug therapy; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 0315-162X; 1499-2752
• DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.150515

To identify the instruments used to assess polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in published studies. A systematic literature review of clinical trials and longitudinal observational studies related to PMR, published from 1970 to 2014, was carried out. All outcome and assessment instruments were extracted and categorized according to core areas and domains, as defined by the OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology) Filter 2.0. Thirty-five articles (3221 patients) were included: 12 randomized controlled trials (RCT); 3 nonrandomized trials; and 20 observational studies. More than 20 domains were identified, measured by 29 different instruments. The most frequently used measures were pain, morning stiffness, patient global assessment and physician global assessment, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. The definition of outcomes varied considerably between studies. The outcome measures and instruments used in PMR are numerous and diversely defined. The establishment of a core set of validated and standardized outcome measurements is needed.