How common is polymyalgia rheumatica?
PMR is uncommon. In England, there are an estimated 11 new cases a year for every 100,000 people. PMR is age-related. Almost all cases develop in adults who are 50 or over. The older a person gets, the higher their risk of developing PMR. PMR is three times as common in women as in men. It is most common among white people, particularly those of Scandinavian descent. For reasons that are not fully understood, the rates of PMR are above average in the east and south-east of England, and below average in the north and north-west of England.
