Books, book chapters

After the success of the Hungarian book, my English language book Progress in PMR, edited  by E.L.Matteson, Professor of Rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic, was published by the New York-based NOVA Science Publishers, in May 2024. It is the first monograph on PMR in English in the world  and is available to all professionals and people interested in PMR worldwide.

It is a must-have!

In recent decades, the disease spectrum of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) has extended far beyond cranial vasculitis.

GCA is a multifaceted group of vasculitic diseases that includes inflammation of both cranial and extracranial vessels, as well as the limb girdles. Although GCA still leads to significant morbidity due to acute and chronic vascular damage, diagnostic approaches have greatly improved and the introduction of tocilizumab into therapeutic algorithms has significantly enhanced the manageability of the disease.

However, unresolved questions remain—particularly regarding the pathogenesis and natural course of GCA—which require further research. Answering these questions is expected to further improve clinical management and the prognosis of patients with GCA.

This review article highlights the paradigm shift that has taken place in recent years, encompassing cranial and large-vessel giant cell arteritis, as well as polymyalgia rheumatica.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the new perspective on polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), summarizing the recent paradigm shift from in-depth scientific knowledge to everyday clinical practice. It is a gap-filling work and the first monograph on the topic of PMR, published as a distinguished edition by Medicina Publishing.

20–30 years ago, polymyalgia was identified as a condition affecting the elderly, characterized by muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulder and pelvic girdles, accompanied by elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and typically a good responsl to low-dose glucocorticoids, often resulting in recovery. The recognition and understanding of the disease have significantly advanced thanks to the explosive development of immunology, imaging techniques, and therapeutic options, as well as the unifiying and standardizing efforts of international scientific societies.

Today, PMR is considered part of the disease triad of giant cell arteritis, alongside cranial arteritis (formerly known as temporal arteritis) and giant cell large-vessel vasculitis.

AI wrote a review of my paper „Polymyalgia Rheumatica, an Age-Related Rheumatic Disease”. It appeared in Academia.edu, which  is a commercial platform for sharing academic research that is uploaded and distributed by researchers from around the world. My co-author was the Széchenyi prize winner Academic, Professor Gyula Poór.

The AI review gives an overview of the paper, relevant references, and after emphasizing the strengths, major and minor comments are enrolled to improve future publishing.

“Overall, this work makes a significant intellectual contribution by synthesizing current knowledge on PMR and positioning it within the context of related rheumatic disorders. The review advances the conversation on PMR by integrating clinical, epidemiological, and pathophysiological perspectives, thereby encouraging a more nuanced understanding of this complex disease. Future directions might include a closer examination of the interplay between genetics, environment, and immune response, potentially advancing personalized medicine approaches in rheumatology.

In conclusion, the work effectively highlights the ongoing challenges and emerging opportunities in the understanding and management of Polymyalgia Rheumatica, offering valuable insights for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers alike.”

Bursitis, or inflammation of the synovial bursae, is a hallmark feature of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). The predominant pain affecting the shoulder and pelvic girdles, as well as the neck, cannot be solely attributed to mild, transient, and benign articular inflammation. Rather, the involvement of extra-articular synovial structures plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of symptoms. Advanced imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US), and more recently, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), have become invaluable tools in the diagnostic process. Bilateral subacromiodeltoid bursitis is so characteristic that it was once considered a pathognomonic finding for PMR. The chapter was published under the auspices of NOVA Publishers, New York.

PMR is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease of people aged 50 and above, with pain and stiffness in the shoulder girdle and often pelvic girdle and neck. The pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment are analysed in this concise and essential review in one of the most

important Hungarian journals.