Initial treatment and longterm outcome.
| Characteristic | RS3PE, n = 28 | Pure PMR, n = 123 | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment, n (%) | |||
| NSAID alone | 0 | 2 (1.6) | 0.999 |
| CS alone | 27 (96.4) | 110 (89.4) | 0.306 |
| NSAID + CS | 1 (3.6) | 11 (8.9) | 0.697 |
| Initial CS dose, mg | |||
| Mean (minimum, maximum) | 12.0 (5, 20) | 13.8 (5, 30) | 0.084 |
| Treatment duration, mean, mo | 24.4 | 29.9 | 0.96 |
| Patients with relapse, n (%) | 7 (25) | 29 (23) | 0.39 |
| Patients with recurrence, n (%) | 0 (0) | 7 (5.7) | 0.35 |
| Patients with CS complication*, n (%) | 10 (35.7) | 26 (21.1) | 0.14 |
↵* At least 1 CS (corticosteroid) complication during the followup, including diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, avascular necrosis, infection requiring intravenous antibiotics, or upper gastrointestinal bleeding/ulcer. RS3PE: remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema; PMR: polymyalgia rheumatica; NSAID: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.