Polymyalgia Rheumatica Serum
Polymyalgia Rheumatica Serum — serum from clinically confirmed PMR donors, frozen within 24 hours. Suited to acute-phase protein and IL-6 pathway work, glucocorticoid response research, and giant cell arteritis overlap studies. PMR is seronegative with no defining autoantibody; RF and ACPA negativity is part of how it is distinguished from rheumatoid arthritis.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica Serum for Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease Research
Our Polymyalgia Rheumatica Serum is sourced from IRB-consented donors clinically diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Each sample is processed and frozen within 24 hours of collection to preserve acute-phase proteins and cytokines. Serum is acellular, so this product supports soluble-analyte work rather than cellular assays.
PMR Pathophysiology and What Serum Reports On
Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory rheumatic disease of older adults, characterised by proximal girdle pain and stiffness affecting the shoulders, neck, and hips, typically with abrupt onset and marked morning stiffness:
- Markedly elevated acute-phase response. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein are usually high at presentation and fall with treatment, making serum the natural matrix for studying the systemic inflammatory signature
- IL-6 is central to the pathophysiology, driving the hepatic acute-phase response; IL-6 receptor blockade has demonstrated clinical benefit in PMR
- PMR is seronegative — there is no defining autoantibody. Negativity for rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies is part of how PMR is distinguished from elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis, and this cohort should not be used as an autoantibody-positive comparator
- Dramatic glucocorticoid response is characteristic and is itself used to support the diagnosis; relapse on tapering is common, which makes treatment-stage stratification important
- Overlap with giant cell arteritis. PMR and GCA share epidemiology and inflammatory biology and frequently co-occur, so distinguishing the two is an active biomarker question
- Why serum: acute-phase proteins, IL-6 and related cytokines, complement components, and fibrinogen are all measurable in serum by immunoassay and multiplex panels, with high aliquot counts from a single donor
Donor Stratification Available
- Isolated PMR versus documented concurrent or prior giant cell arteritis
- Treatment status: pre-treatment, on glucocorticoids, tapering, or on IL-6 receptor blockade
- Disease stage: new-onset, established, or relapsing disease
- Documented ESR and CRP results where clinically performed
- Rheumatoid factor and ACPA test results where performed, to support case definition
- Age, sex assigned at birth, race/ethnicity, and relevant comorbidities
- Matched, age-matched healthy controls available
Product Features
- Collected from clinically confirmed PMR donors
- Processed and frozen within 24 hours of collection
- Research Use Only (RUO)
- Standard and custom aliquot volumes available
- IRB-approved protocols with documented consent
De-identified Donor Data
- Diagnosis confirmation, including ESR and CRP levels where available
- Age, sex assigned at birth, and ethnicity
- Donor-reported allergy and infectious disease history
- Medication and treatment history, including glucocorticoid use, available on request
Applications
- Acute-phase protein and systemic inflammation research
- IL-6 pathway and cytokine profiling
- Giant cell arteritis overlap and differentiation biomarker studies
- Differentiation of PMR from elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis using seronegative cohorts
- Glucocorticoid and IL-6 receptor blockade response research
- Relapse prediction biomarker discovery
- Proteomic and metabolomic profiling
- Immunoassay development and validation for inflammatory analytes
Other Polymyalgia Rheumatica Specimen Types
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica Plasma — anticoagulated matrix for labile analytes
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica Bulk Plasma — larger volumes for assay development
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica Whole Blood — fresh, for same-day cellular assays and transcriptomics
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica PBMC — cryopreserved cells for immunophenotyping
Compliance and Quality Assurance
- IRB-approved and HIPAA-compliant protocols
- Electronic informed consent with 21 CFR Part 11-compliant e-signatures
- Documentation support available for regulatory review
Ordering and Customization
Polymyalgia rheumatica serum is available in standard and custom volumes. For pricing, international orders, or documentation requirements, please email learnmore@sanguinebio.com to ensure compatibility with your country’s regulations. For healthy-donor controls and the full specimen range, see our human serum collection.
Protocols & Documentation
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Download
Serum Isolation
Protocol for serum preparation from whole blood, including collection handling, clarification, and quality documentation.
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Informed Consent Form (ICF)
Available upon request — confirms donor consent for research use and downstream commercialization.
Serum
Frequently Asked Questions
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YES – All collections are conducted under IRB-approved protocols and electronic informed consent. Sanguine utilizes Advarra and WCG IRB for oversight.
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YES – all our products are research use only (RUO).
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You can find our full product catalog here.
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Storage depends on sample type but often cryopreserved samples stored in liquid nitrogen can be stored for years.
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Extensive customization is available. To discuss your project request a quote or email us at learnmore@sanguinebio.com.
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Sanguine offers flexible prospective collection services tailored to fit your research. For more information and to request a quote, please see: our prospective biospecimen collection services page.
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Timelines depend on condition, sample type, and I/E criteria but we often start collection within 2 weeks of signed agreement.
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YES – we have in-stock inventory. You can also email us at learnmore@sanguinebio.com as we continually get new samples in our inventory.
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Each sample from a different individual – Unique donor means each sample comes from a different person, ensuring biological diversity in your study.
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YES – Unique donors can be specified and guaranteed based on your requirements.
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For information about sample quality, please see: Quality and Compliance
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YES – “IRB-approved collection protocols” and IRB approval documentation available upon request. Sanguine utilizes two internationally-recognized IRBs (Advarra and WCG IRB) for review and approval.
Ask a Question
Need a custom Serum cohort?
Our scientific team can scope prospective collections with donor-specific I/E criteria, typically starting within 2 weeks of agreement.