Comparison between patients with and without distal musculoskeletal manifestations
| (A) Patients with isolated PMR | Patients with distal musculoskeletal manifestations n=18 (20%) | Patients without distal musculoskeletal manifestations n=72 (80%) | p Value |
| Mean (SD) age at onset of disease (years) | 71.3 (9) | 71.8 (8) | NS |
| F:M ratio | 12/6 (2) | 46/26 (1.8) | NS |
| Malaise/anorexia/weight loss | 9 (50%) | 40 (55%) | NS |
| Low grade fever | 1 (6%) | 6 (8%) | NS |
| Mean (SD) ESR (mm/h) | 72 (23) | 74 (20) | NS |
| Mean (SD) haemoglobin (g/l) | 116 (13) | 118 (12) | NS |
| Raised alkaline phosphatase | 4 (22%) | 12 (17%) | NS |
| Raised ALT/AST | 2 (11%) | 6 (8%) | NS |
| (B) Patients with TA | Patients with musculoskeletal manifestations n=41 (56%) | Patients without musculoskeletal manifestations n=32 (44%) | p Value |
| Mean (SD) age at onset of disease (years) | 71.4 (8) | 73 (9) | NS |
| F:M ratio | 28/13 (2.1) | 21/11 (1.9) | NS |
| Headache | 41 (100%) | 32 (100%) | NS |
| Abnormal temporal artery | 35 (85%) | 29 (90%) | NS |
| Jaw claudication | 17 (41%) | 8 (25%) | NS |
| Malaise/anorexia/weight loss | 27 (66%) | 19 (59%) | NS |
| Fever | 7 (17%) | 2 (6%) | NS |
| Amaurosis fugax | 10 (24%) | 4 (12%) | NS |
| Mean (SD) ESR (mm/h) | 91 (24) | 80 (21) | NS |
| Mean (SD) haemoglobin (g/l) | 110 (13) | 115 (14) | NS |
| Raised alkaline phosphatase | 10 (24%) | 7 (22%) | NS |
| Raised ALT/AST | 5 (12%) | 3 (9%) | NS |
PMR = polymyalgia rheumatica; TA = temporal arteritis; ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate; ALT/AST = alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase; SD = standard deviation.