Familial aggregation of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Abstract

Abstract Four pairs of first‐degree relatives with polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis, or both have been encountered among approximately 250 such patients. Two of these pairs were mother‐daughter combinations, the first such cases to be reported. Chance alone is unlikely to account for this association. The possible roles of environmental, genetic, and immunologic factors are considered.