REDUCE PMR: Rituximab for polymyalgia rheumatica

In these studies we would like to study the efficacy of rituximab compared to placebo in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).

Patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) experience pain and stiffness in shoulders and hips. PMR is currently treated with steroids but this has many downsides: long term treatment, side effects and relapses during tapering.

Rituximab might be effective in PMR which we would like to confirm in this study.

Participants with newly diagnosed PMR or experiencing a relapse will be randomized into two groups. They will receive 1000mg rituximab intravenously or placebo.

All participants will additionally be treated with prednisolone in an accelerated tapering scheme. Follow up is 1 year.