Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder manifested principally by stiffness of the neck, shoulder girdle, and pelvic girdle; giant-cell (or temporal) arteritis affects the cranial branches of arteries arising from the aortic arch. The two conditions are believed to be linked and may occur together. Giant-cell arteritis is a serious disorder that can cause blindness as a result of ischemia of the optic nerve or retina. Both disorders respond to corticosteroid therapy. This comprehensive article reviews the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and treatment of these disorders.

Presentations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) range from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia with respiratory failure that can lead to invasive mechanical ventilation and/or death.^1,2 In patients with COVID-19 and severe lung disease, hyperinflammation is frequently observed, with an increased plasma concentrations of various proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, and acute phase reactants.^3-5 This exaggerated inflammatory response caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) represents one of the most important negative prognostic factors in these patients.⁶