Polymyalgia rheumatica

Polymyalgia rheumatica — DVA SoP factors

Every factor in the Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles for Polymyalgia rheumatica. DVA can only accept a claim for Polymyalgia rheumatica if at least one of these factors is met and connected to your service. Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) applies to operational service; Balance of Probabilities (BoP) applies to peacetime service.

Source: Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles as held by the Veterans Health Centre. SoPs are amended and replaced regularly; always confirm the current instrument at rma.gov.au before relying on it.

RH No. 5 of 2025 · BoP No. 6 of 20255 factors

Meaning of polymyalgia rheumatica: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, polymyalgia rheumatica: (a) means an inflammatory rheumatic disorder with the following characteristics: (i) bilateral aching and stiffness involving the shoulder or proximal regions of the arms; or the hip or proximal regions of the thighs; or the neck or lower back; (ii) elevated acute phase reactants (erythrocyte sedimentation rate and/or C reactive protein) or systemic symptoms such as malaise, fatigue and a low-grade fever; and (iii) occurring in the absence of other diseases capable of causing the musculoskeletal system symptoms; and (b) excludes polymyalgia rheumatica coexistent with giant cell arteritis.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 5 of 2025

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting polymyalgia rheumatica or death from polymyalgia rheumatica with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors within the 1 year before clinical onset or clinical worsening;
Note: Examples of immune checkpoint inhibitors include atezolizumab, avelumab, cemiplimab, durvalumab, ipilimumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab.
(2)
having a COVID-19 vaccine within the 4 weeks before clinical onset or clinical worsening;
(3)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for polymyalgia rheumatica before clinical worsening;

Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 6 of 2025

2 factors

At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, polymyalgia rheumatica or death from polymyalgia rheumatica is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors within the 1 year before clinical onset or clinical worsening;
Note: Examples of immune checkpoint inhibitors include atezolizumab, avelumab, cemiplimab, durvalumab, ipilimumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab.
(2)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for polymyalgia rheumatica before clinical worsening;

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