Swollen joints and peripheral arthritis are signs of malignancy in polymyalgia rheumatica.

AIM: To analyze the clinical course and prognosis in patients diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) complicated by the presence of malignancies.

METHODS: We retrospectively screened the case files of 216 patients hospitalized in our department between 2011 and December 2016 for the results of a thorough physical examination and data on treatment for rheumatic diseases. We identified 53 patients with PMR according to Bird's criteria and 43 patients with 2012 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for PMR, then analyzed the clinical and serologic manifestations of PMR in patients with (n = 6) and without (n = 47 in Bird' criteria, n = 37 in 2012 EULAR/ACR criteria) malignancy.

RESULT: No significant differences in age, gender, smoking, and serum markers were observed between PMR patients with and without malignancy, but there were statistically significant differences in tender joint counts and the presence of swollen joints and peripheral arthritis in both Bird's criteria and 2012 EULAR/ACR criteria.

CONCLUSION: The presence of swollen joints and peripheral arthritis may be useful signs that indicate the coexistence of malignancies in patients with PMR.