ANTIBODIES AGAINST CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE, CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, ENTEROVIRUSES AND RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS IN PATIENTS WITH POLYMYALGIA-RHEUMATICA

Objectives: To investigate the association between the onset of polymy algia rheumatica (PMR) and prior or persistent infection with Chlamydi a pneumoniae or cytomegalovirus (CMV), (both known to infect the vesse l wall) enteroviruses (EV) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Metho ds: Serum samples were collected from 48 patients with newly-diagnosed PMR and from 22 controls of the same age. The presence of IgG, IgA an d IgM antibodies to C. pneumoniae, IgG and IgM antibodies to CMV and E V, and complement fixing antibodies to RSV were analysed. Results: Cli nical symptoms of infection preceding PMR symptoms were associated wit h the presence of synovitis at the first visit. There were no signific ant differences in the seroprevalence rates of antibodies to C. pneumo niae, CMV, EV or RSV between PMR patients and controls. IgM antibodies to EV were found in two patients and IgM antibodies to CMV in another two patients. Conclusion: Serological evidence of an association betw een newly-diagnosed PMR and prior or chronic infection with C. pneumon iae was not found. IgM antibodies to EV in two patients, consistent wi th ongoing or recent infection, suggest that EV could represent one of perhaps several microbes which are able to trigger PMR.