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Polymyalgia rheumatica - Evidence
Evidence on the use of corticosteroids for polymyalgia rheumatica
Unblinded, uncontrolled, prospective and retrospective cohort studies strongly suggest that corticosteroids are the only effective treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica. Corticosteroids have not been evaluated in placebo-controlled clinical trials. Because the effect of corticosteroids (both on starting treatment and on withdrawing treatment) is so dramatic, it is highly unlikely that placebo-controlled trials will ever be done.
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