[RESULTS] The prednisone group showed an adjusted mean 3.3-point ( 95 % CI , 1.3-5 .2 ; P = .001 ) greater improvement in the SF-36 PCS score at 3 weeks , no difference in the SF-36 PCS score at 52 weeks ( mean , 2.5 ; 95 % CI , -0.3 to 5.4 ; P = .08 ) , no change in the SF-36 MCS score at 3 weeks ( mean , 2.2 ; 95 % CI , -0.4 to 4.8 ; P = .10 ) , and an adjusted 3.6-point ( 95 % CI , 0.6-6 .7 ; P = .02 ) greater improvement in the SF-36 MCS score at 52 weeks .