What type of blood tests for PMR assist improvement/deterioration

[triker]

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member]

Hi there! The blood tests that are standard for PMR and GCA are the ESR test (the erythrocyte sedimentation rate test) and the CRP test (C-reactive protein). These blood tests measure the amount of inflammation in your body, and in this way they are a rough indicator of whether your condition is improving or deteriorating. In theory at least. Because these tests can be very unreliable. We know of lots of people who have felt really rough but their tests have been almost normal. Some people can clearly have PMR without having very elevated ESRs. Other people can feel that they are getting better but their ESR isn't going down. So while there is an association, and these blood tests can be an indicator, they don't give chapter and verse.

[Hidden]

Hi Triker, I have had PMR for 18 months. My blood tests have always been normal and have not show up any inflammation occuring in my body. However, in the beginning, I had all the pain and stiffness in all the relevant parts of my body that prompted two specialists to say that I had classic PMR. I was prescribed 30mgs of prenisolone. The first dose sent the pain away completely in 3 hours.

Pats.

[triker]

Thanks Kate and Pats. PMR was diagnosed 13 months ago (the day after being badly burgled!) but the symptons had been there for three years. Originally on 15mg of Pred daily, the amazing relief within hours of the first dose! - on to a decreasing schedule which was to run out 6 weeks ago. The aching has returned almost as badly as ever, I've put myself on 2.5mg per week, which the GP has suggested I now double. I'm still working a 45 hour week at 74 and feel this gives me other things to concentrate on - once I've struggled getting out of bed and going down the stairs on my bottom for the first 40 minutes daily. I believe PMR might be with me for a long time (what's the average period, I wonder?) and trying to gauge what tests would likely indicate improvement or deterioration - hence my question . Thanks again, grit teeth, glad to be alive!

Triker

[Hidden]

Hi Triker,

I too had a relapse because I came down on the pred. too fast. I was put back on the original dose of 30mgs and the pain was gone. That was 8 months ago. I am now on 7.5mgs reducing to 7mgs next week. I feel much better most of the time and do not make a drop in pred. unless I have had a week of good days.

I agree. Life is good. There is really no average time for this illness, but my take on it is this. You can't win if you don't get the drops right. Listen to your body. If you can't go downstairs on your feet by now you need to see your rheumy. Tests don't prove anything.

Pats.

[Hidden]

My GP tests for plasma viscosity and CRP which she says both monitor the level of inflammation in my body. Not sure what the difference is between the plasma viscosity test and the ESR test which is mentioned above. In my case both of these test results were very high at the time of diagnosis but they were normal after 2 months of treatment with 15mg of pred. I was diagnosed in Sept 2011 and the initial monitoring meant frequent blood tests but these are now about three months apart and always 4 weeks after a drop in dose.