TY - JOUR
T1 - Protracted febrile myalgia syndrome treated with pulse of corticosteroids
AU - Rom, Eran
AU - Amarilyo, Gil
AU - Levinski, Yoel
AU - Bilavsky, Efraim
AU - Goldberg, Ori
AU - Amir, Jacob
AU - Harel, Liora
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2018/6
Y1 - 2018/6
N2 - Objective: This study describes our 5-year experience treating protracted febrile myalgia syndrome (PFMS) with pulsed doses of corticosteroids. Methods: Eight patients with PFMS who received pulse corticosteroid therapy were identified from the electronic database of a tertiary pediatric medical center (2011–2016). Their clinical and laboratory data were collected. Differences in continuous variables between hospital admission and discharge were analyzed using Wilcoxon's matched pairs test. Results: There were 6 female and 2 male patients of median age 10.45 years (range 6.2–17.1) Six patients were found to be homozygous for the M694V mutation. In 4 patients, PFMS was the first-ever manifestation of familial Mediterranean fever. Pulse corticosteroid therapy was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 3 days. Pain was alleviated (visual analog scale score, 0) within hours of initiation of therapy, although pain flare-ups lasting for minutes to hours were still observed during hospitalization. At discharge, all patients were prescribed continuous oral corticosteroids (1–2 mg/kg) with gradual tapering down over 6 weeks. Conclusion: Pulse corticosteroid therapy is effective in alleviating PFMS pain; however, it does not completely abort a PFMS episode.
AB - Objective: This study describes our 5-year experience treating protracted febrile myalgia syndrome (PFMS) with pulsed doses of corticosteroids. Methods: Eight patients with PFMS who received pulse corticosteroid therapy were identified from the electronic database of a tertiary pediatric medical center (2011–2016). Their clinical and laboratory data were collected. Differences in continuous variables between hospital admission and discharge were analyzed using Wilcoxon's matched pairs test. Results: There were 6 female and 2 male patients of median age 10.45 years (range 6.2–17.1) Six patients were found to be homozygous for the M694V mutation. In 4 patients, PFMS was the first-ever manifestation of familial Mediterranean fever. Pulse corticosteroid therapy was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 3 days. Pain was alleviated (visual analog scale score, 0) within hours of initiation of therapy, although pain flare-ups lasting for minutes to hours were still observed during hospitalization. At discharge, all patients were prescribed continuous oral corticosteroids (1–2 mg/kg) with gradual tapering down over 6 weeks. Conclusion: Pulse corticosteroid therapy is effective in alleviating PFMS pain; however, it does not completely abort a PFMS episode.
KW - Corticosteroid
KW - Familial Mediterranean fever
KW - Protracted febrile myalgia
KW - Solumedrol
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85033379396&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2017.10.008
DO - 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2017.10.008
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AN - SCOPUS:85033379396
SN - 0049-0172
VL - 47
SP - 897
EP - 899
JO - Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
JF - Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
IS - 6
ER -