Actively Recruiting
Using Novel Imaging to Rethink Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies for Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Led by Kresten Krarup Keller · Updated on 2025-10-01
149
Participants Needed
7
Research Sites
366 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
K
Kresten Krarup Keller
Lead Sponsor
R
Randers Regional Hospital
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the most common chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease among the elderly and is characterized by proximal extremity pain and fatigue. Treatment with prednisolone carries several significant adverse effects, and it is therefore essential to avoid unnecessary treatment. However, clinical diagnosis and even imaging such as positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) has low diagnostic accuracy, which decrease after start of prednisolone. The purpose is to evaluate a new method to diagnose PMR with PET/CT using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for informing the interpretation of PET in 111 patients suspected of PMR at baseline and after 8 weeks prednisolone treatment. In addition, a treatment initiation strategy guided by clinical diagnosis combined with PET will be evaluated in 100 patients with newly diagnosed PMR.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Using Novel Imaging to Rethink Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies for Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Patients suspected of polymyalgia rheumatica seen at specified rheumatology or internal medicine departments
- Age above 50 years
- Presence of pain in the upper arms, shoulders, hips, or thighs
You will not qualify if you...
- Use of oral, intravenous, intra-articular, or intramuscular glucocorticoids within the last 2 months
- Previous prednisolone treatment for giant cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica
- Unable to give informed consent
- Pain in proximal extremities lasting more than one year
- Symptoms of giant cell arteritis such as headache, scalp tenderness, jaw or tongue claudication, vision disturbances, or limb claudication
- Active malignant cancers within the last 5 years except basal cell carcinoma
- Presence of other inflammatory rheumatic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, polymyositis, spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or gout
- Uncontrolled severe diseases such as severe active asthma or cardiac disease with NYHA class IV
- Presence of implants that prevent MRI or body mass index over 150 kg for MRI eligibility
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 7 locations
1
Aarhus University Hospital
Aarhus, Denmark
Actively Recruiting
2
Gødstrup Hospital
Gødstrup, Denmark
Not Yet Recruiting
3
Horsens Regional Hospital
Horsens, Denmark
Not Yet Recruiting
4
Odense University Hospital
Odense, Denmark
Not Yet Recruiting
5
Randers Regional Hospital
Randers, Denmark
Not Yet Recruiting
6
Central Jutland Regional Hospital
Silkeborg, Denmark
Actively Recruiting
7
Svendborg Hospital
Svendborg, Denmark
Not Yet Recruiting
Research Team
K
Kresten K Keller, MD, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
1
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