Fibrin(ogen)olysis in polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis: Preliminary findings on association with disease activity

Postulating an increased production of fibrin(ogen)olytic degradation products (FDP) and an abnormalitiy of fibrinogen metabolism in polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and temporal arteritis (TA), we studied 16 PMR/TA patients and 10 control subjects using a sensitive radioimmunoassay for a specific type of FDP, namely, fibrin(ogen)-related D-antigen. Median serum D-antigen levels were increased five-fold in those 11 PMR/TA patients who were untreated compared with control subjects. In the five PMR/TA patients who were treated with prednisone the median D-antigen levels were not significantly different from those of the controls. D-antigen concentration correlated significantly (r=0.83) with ESR in the seven untreated PMR patients. IN PMR patients prednisone therapy was followed by a reduction of serum D-antigen levels.