TY - JOUR T1 - Tocilizumab Ameliorates Clinical Symptoms in Polymyalgia Rheumatica JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 1075 LP - 1076 DO - 10.3899/jrheum.091185 VL - 37 IS - 5 AU - KEISUKE HAGIHARA AU - ICHIRO KAWASE AU - TOSHIO TANAKA AU - TADAMITSU KISHIMOTO Y1 - 2010/05/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/37/5/1075.abstract N2 - To the Editor:Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology that affects the elderly1. The disease is characterized by aching and morning stiffness in the shoulders, neck, and pelvic girdles. Although the pathogenesis of PMR remains unknown, overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines has been demonstrated to contribute to its development1,2. Corticosteroids constitute the preferred treatment for PMR and prednisolone 10–20 mg/day is usually adequate. But when prednisolone is tapered, the disease sometimes flares and continuous treatment with corticosteroids is needed. As alternative therapies, methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-blocking agents showed promise, but the use of these drugs remains controversial1,3. Since interleukin 6 (IL-6) has been shown to play a major role in sustaining disease activity in PMR1,2,4–6, treatment of a patient with PMR refractory to corticosteroids was initiated with the humanized anti-IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab7.A 65-year-old woman presented in 2002 with … Address correspondence to Dr. T. Tanaka; E-mail: ttanak{at}imed3.med.osaka-u.ac.jp ER -