Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Polymyalgia rheumatica causes
Introduction
Overview
Overview
There is no specific cause for polymyalgia rheumatica. However, there are possible theories about the causes which include inflammatory joint lining attack, viral infections, and genetic inheritance of HLA-DR4.
Causes
Causes
- The specific cause of polymyalgia rheumatica is unknown or not well understood.
- Possible theories about the causes include the following:[1]
- Inflammatory attack of the joints’ lining
- Viral infection (eg, Adenovirus) stimulating the immune system causing autoimmune attack to the joints
- Genetic inheritance of HLA-DR4 subtype
References
References
- ↑ Belkhir R, Burel SL, Dunogeant L, Marabelle A, Hollebecque A, Besse B; et al. (2017). “Rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica occurring after immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment”. Ann Rheum Dis. 76 (10): 1747–1750. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-211216. PMID 28600350.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [2]