[S3 guidelines on treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica : Evidence-based guidelines of the German Society of Rheumatology (DGRh), the Austrian Society of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation (ÖGR) and the Swiss Society of Rheumatology (SGT) and participating medical scientific specialist societies and other organizations]. / S3-Leitlinie zur Behandlung der Polymyalgia rheumatica : Evidenzbasierte Leitlinie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie (DGRh), der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Rehabilitation (ÖGR) und der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie (SGR) und der beteiligten medizinisch-wissenschaftlichen Fachgesellschaften und weiterer Organisationen.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) occurs almost exclusively in persons aged 50 years or older and it is the second most common inflammatory rheumatic disease in older people after rheumatoid arthritis. Since there are no specific tests for PMR, the exclusion of clinically similar differential diagnoses is essential to ascertain the diagnosis. These recommendations for the management of PMR assume an already established diagnosis of PMR. It is recommended to initiate treatment with glucocorticoids immediately after diagnosis and to provide appropriate patient information and education about the impact of the disease and its treatment. Methotrexate should be considered in patients at high risk for relapse and/or glucocorticoid-related adverse events. These guidelines have been elaborated because there is significant heterogeneity in the management of PMR in clinical practice in Germany (but also Europe and worldwide), despite the large number of patients with this disease. These guidelines are primarily based on the 2015 EULAR-ACR recommendations for the management of PMR, which were updated by the guideline committee and adapted to the German speaking countries.

[Alveolar echinococcosis--a new emerging disease?]. / Alveolární echinokokóza--nove se objevující onemocnení?

Alveolar echinococcosis is a rare zoonotic disease caused by the cestode larval stages of Echinococcus multilocularis. The Larva develops as a tumour like cyst (hydatid). Due to a slow cyst development, the early stage of the infection is always asymptomatic and the clinical symptoms develop after years later. In the Czech Republic the disease is still very rare. Only one alveolar echinococcosis case was reported 30 years ago. However, new alveolar echinococcosis cases occurred during last two years and some of them indicate autochtonic character of the transmission. With regard to the recent increasing risk of infection with E. multilocularis in Central Europe, we present two case reports of alveolar echinococcosis in a 33-year old woman and a 24-year old man. The reports show diagnostic process and therapy of the infection.