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| Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis |
| This page was written by Shelley Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. See Disclaimer. |
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| What are Myopathies? |
| Myopathies. Myopathy is the medical term for muscle disease. There are many causes of muscle disease, such as infection, muscle injury due to medications, inherited diseases affecting muscle function, disorders of electrolyte levels, and thyroid disease. Some of these disorders, such as polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis, develop when the immune system attacks muscles. This inflammation damages muscle tissue and makes them weak. American College of Rheumatology. |
| Concomitant diseases in a cohort of patients with idiopathic myositis (IIM) during long-term follow-up. There is significant steroid-related morbidity in adult IIM patients under long-term follow-up. The prevalence of another concomitant auto-immune disease unlike patients with lupus or Sjogren's syndrome is low. (SpringerLink) K.P. Ng. Clinical Rheumatology. April 23 2009. |
| Pregnancy Outcome In Egyptian Scleroderma Patients. The subclinical vasculopathy occurring during and even before disease onset can explain the higher proportion of abortions, premature children and delay in conception of the SSc patients. There is an association between myositis and reduced abortion which needs further investigation including the effect of the drugs used should be considered. H.E. El-Sherif. FRI0267. EULAR 2008. (Also see; Pregnancy and Scleroderma) |
| Combined Therapy With Prednisone, Cyclosporine And Methotrexate In Patients With Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies. Combined treatment with prednisone, cyclosporine and methotrexate seems to be effective, safe and well tolerated in patients with inflammatory myopathy. A good response was seen in terms of muscle straight, QOL, creatin-kinase levels and reduction in steroids dosage. G. J. Tobon AB0536 EULAR 2007. |
| Long Term Survival Study Of Adult Onset Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies; A Single Centre Experience. Adult onset dermatomyositis presenting with respiratory or pharyngeal muscle weakness portends poor prognosis. Most patients continued to need long term immunosuppressive therapy. V. Agarwal THU0229 EULAR 2007. |
| What is Dermatomyositis? |
| Dermatomyositis. "Dermatomyositis is an acute inflammatory condition of skin and muscle." Dr. Thomas Lehman. |
| What is Dermatomyositis? National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. |
| Sun Exposure May Trigger Certain Autoimmune Diseases in Women. This study found that women who lived in areas with higher levels of UV exposure when they developed an autoimmune muscle disease called myositis were more likely to develop the form known as dermatomyositis, which weakens the muscles and causes distinctive rashes, instead of the form called polymyositis that does not have a rash. NIH News. 07/30/09. |
| Dermatomyositis signature pattern in the blood is found. The researchers said the finding might lead to an alternative diagnostic tool, rather than a more invasive muscle biopsy now needed to identify the condition in which the immune system overreacts in some way to attack some part of the body. Earthtimes.org 04/03/07. |
| Dermatomyositis represents a progressive autoimmune disease of the connective tissue with SLE-like dermatitis, with inflammatory myopathy and muscular weakness. It is an infrequent and serious disease affecting not only the skin and striated muscle. Cases without skin affection are classified as polymyositis. Cutaneous symptoms can precede myositis with various time intervals; such situation is sometimes classified as Amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM), dermatitis sine myositis or skin dermatomyositis. PubMed. Cas Lek Cesk. 2003;142(11):648-50. |
| Paediatric idiopathic inflammatory muscle disease. Juvenile dermatomyositis has a significantly different spectrum of disease from adult dermatomyositis. Juvenile myositis can also occur as part of other systemic autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus. PubMed. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2004 Jun;18(3):345-58. (Also see: Juvenile Scleroderma) |
| What is Polymyositis? |
| What is Polymyositis? It is a muscle disease featuring inflammation of the muscle fibers, typically those closest to the trunk or torso. This results in weakness that can be severe. MedicineNet.com. |
| Distribution and severity of weakness among patients with polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM) and juvenile dermatomyositis. Our findings suggest a greater severity of proximal weakness in PM in comparison with DM. M.O. Harris-Love. Rheumatology Advance Access. Dec 11 2008. |
| C1D is a major autoantibody target in patients with the polymyositis-scleroderma overlap syndrome. Our results demonstrate that the recently identified exosome-associated protein C1D is a major autoantigen in patients with the PM-scleroderma overlap syndrome and suggest that the use of recombinant C1D as an autoantibody target may aid in diagnosis of the PM-scleroderma overlap syndrome. Arthritis and Rheumatism. Volume 56, Issue 7, Pages 2449 - 2454. (Also see: Antibodies and Overlap Syndrome) |
| Nun's rare illness spurs new approach to life. Mercy Sister Peggy Mahoney, director of planned giving for the Wilmington Diocese, was diagnosed in 2003 with polymyositis, an autoimmune disease marked by weakness and inflammation of the muscles – usually beginning with those closest to and within the trunk of the body, such as the neck, shoulders, hips and back, according to the Myositis Association. Catholic Online. 03/29/06. |
| A human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) carrier complicated with various autoimmune diseases including primary biliary cirrhosis. A 47-year-old woman diagnosed as having overlap syndrome with scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus and possible polymyositis associated with primary biliary cirrhosis. (The tests) suggest the possibility of a relationship between HTLV-1 infection and various autoimmune disorders including primary biliary cirrhosis. PubMed. Hepatol Res. 2005 Feb 7. (Also see: Overlap Syndrome, Liver Involvement, and Lupus) |
| Polymyositis induced or associated with lipid-lowering drugs; Five cases. Muscular symptoms in patients taking cholesterol-lowering drugs could be the first symptom of a polymyositis revealed or increased by this treatment and must encourage the physician in antinuclear antibody screening, especially in case of proximal muscular weakness and increased muscle enzyme levels. PubMed. Rev Med Interne. 2004 Apr;25(4):294-298. |
| The role of Jo-1 in the immunopathogenesis of polymyositis: current hypotheses. Collectively, these findings suggest a mechanism by which Jo-1 can bridge the innate and adaptive immune responses, leading to the breakdown of tolerance and autoimmune destruction of muscle. PubMed. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2003 Dec;5(6):425-30. |
| Anti-Signal Recognition Particle Autoantibody Not Specific Only For Polymyositis (PM). The authors conclude that "although anti-SRP remains an autoantibody specific for PM, it is occasionally detected in patients with other immunologic syndromes in the absence of PM." Doctor's Guide. 02/05/04 Arthritis Rheum 2004 Jan;50:1:209-15. |
| PM-SCL autoantibody positive scleroderma with polymyositis (mechanic's hand: clinical aid in the diagnosis). The recently observed overlapping syndrome is characterized by the presence of specific autoantibodies, HLA-type association and benign course. A new skin symptom ('mechanic's hands') predicts the disease, in particular the interstitial lung pathology, which is its most relevant internal manifestation. PubMed. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2004 May;18(3):356-9. (Also see: Overlap Syndrome,, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Antibodies) |
| Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) for Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (PSS) and Polymyositis. Treatment with MMF in patients with pulmonary fibrosis in systemic sclerosis as well as in polymyositis might be an effective therapy. In 3 patients we also saw an improvement in the function of other organs, involved in systemic sclerosis, such as scleroderma and myocarditis. R. Bergner. FRI0330 EULAR 2004. (Also see: Pulmonary Fibrosis, Overlap Syndrome, and Medications) |
| Symptoms of Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis |
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| Diagnosis of Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis |
| Imaging tools for the clinical assessment of idiopathic inflammatory myositis. In suspected myositis, muscle imaging should be strongly considered prior to obtaining a muscle biopsy. Future research should prospectively study the use of muscle imaging in the evaluation of treatment response and muscle function. (PubMed) Walker UA. Curr Opin Rheumatol. November 2008. |
| Inflammatory myopathies in childhood: correlation between nailfold capillaroscopy findings and clinical and laboratory data. A relationship has been observed in adults between improved capillaroscopic findings and reduced disease activity. PubMed. J. Pediatr (Rio J). 2006 January/February;82(1):40-45. (Also see: Juvenile Scleroderma, and Raynaud's Diagnosis) |
| The handheld dermatoscope as a nail-fold capillaroscopic instrument. The unmodified hand-held dermatoscope may be used as a capillaroscopic instrument to detect a scleroderma-dermatomyositis pattern and to help the dermatologist in the clinical diagnosis of connective tissue disorders. PubMed. Arch Dermatol. 2003 Aug;139(8):1027-30.(Also see: Types of Scleroderma) |
| Scleroderma and Dermatomyositis, Polymyositis |
| Dyspnoea in Systemic Sclerosis. Diffuse systemic sclerosis/myositis overlap is a known entity. Anti PmScl antibodies are seen in 40-50% of patients and are associated with positive HLA-DR3. Consider muscle disease as the cause for dyspnoea and dysphagia in systemic sclerosis. N. R. Priddee. SAT0228 EULAR 2006. (Also see: Pulmonary Hypertension and Antibodies) |
| Rare autoimmune rheumatic illnesses during pregnancy: systemic sclerosis, polymyositis/dermatomyositis and vasculitis. Autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) affect young females durrng childbearing age. Over the last decades, improvements in survival as well as quality of life in patients affected with ARD have led to an increased number of pregnancies observed during the course of such diseases. PubMed. Z Rheumatol. 2006 May 3. (Also see: Pregnancy and Scleroderma and Vasculitis) |
| Clinical Aspects of Systemic Sclerosis Overlap Syndromes. The association of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with other connective tissue diseases (dermato/polymyositis (DM/PM), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) et al) is poorly understood and is an actively discussed clinical problem. SSc-PM/DM and SSc-RA overlaps occur most often. O. V. Desinova. AB0191 EULAR 2005. (Also see: What is Scleroderma?, Overlap Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis) |
| Anti-Ku antibody-positive scleroderma-dermatomyositis overlap syndrome developing Graves' disease and immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Graves' disease (GD) has been reported to be frequently complicated with other autoimmune diseases. However, it is rarely complicated with scleroderma-polymyositis overlap syndrome. PubMed. Intern Med 2002 Dec;41(12):1199-203. (Also see Overlap Syndrome and Grave's Disease) |
| Treatments for Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis |
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| Research about Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis |
| Dermatomyositis and HIV infection: case report and review of the literature. Given the broad effects of this virus on both the humoral and cell-mediated arms of the immune system, illnesses such as polymyositis and Reiter's syndrome appear to be more prevalent in HIV-infected individuals and occur in the absence of well-described predispositions. (PubMed) MB Carroll. Rheumatol Int. October 24 2009. |
| Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is highly expressed in muscle tissue of patients with polymyositis and patients with dermatomyositis. Our observations support a role of VEGF in the early phases of polymyositis and dermatomyositis. (WileyInterscience) C. Grundtman. Arthritis & Rheumatism. September 29, 2008. |
| Polymyositis: Can a gluten-free diet reduce symptoms? If you have polymyositis — a rare connective tissue disease — you may be at increased risk of celiac disease. In such cases, a gluten-free diet can improve signs and symptoms of celiac disease. But there's no evidence that a gluten-free diet can improve signs and symptoms of polymyositis. Mayo Clinic. (Also see: Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity) |
| Spontaneous recovery of dermatomyositis and unspecified myositis in three adult patients. Spontaneous long lasting remission can occur in a small proportion of patients with subacute onset idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. In some patients, immunosuppressive treatment with the risk of serious side effects can perhaps be omitted. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 2008. |
| Researchers study the possible relationship between myopathies and celiac disease. The scientists are considering the possibility that, at least in part, some inflammatory myopathies are a clinical expression of intolerance to gluten, though they point out the need for more studies to be carried out to confirm or support these findings. innovations report. 02/23/07. (Also see: Celiac Disease and Bowel Dysfunction) |
| Endothelial cell activation and neovascularization are prominent in dermatomyositis. While vascular and immune abnormalities are common in juvenile and adult dermatomyositis (DM), the molecular changes that contribute to these abnormalities are not clear. It is likely that close association of monocytes with endothelial cells initiate rapid dendritic cell maturation and an autoimmune response in DM. Journal of Autoimmune Diseases 02-20-06. |
| The Jo-1 Syndrome—immunological findings and clinical manifestations. The Jo-1 syndrome is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against the Jo-1 antigen. The most frequent clinical manifestation is myositis, which may present as polymyositis or dermatomyositis. In addition to muscle involvement, interstitial lung disease is frequently found and critical for the prognosis. PubMed. Med Klin (Munich). 2005 Mar 15;100(3):137-42. |
| Differences in Clinical Features and Prognosis of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) Between Polymyositis (PM) and Dermatomyositis (DM). DM-ILD is more refractory to corticosteroid therapy, resulting in poorer prognosis compared with PM-ILD. These data indicate that intensive therapy, including cyclosporine, should be considered for DM-ILD. J Rheumatol. NO. 1 January 2005;32:58-64. |
| Does HLA-Dependent Chimerism Underlie the Pathogenesis of Juvenile Dermatomyositis? These combined data indicate that chimeric cells play a direct role in the JDM disease process and that the mother's HLA genotype facilitates the transfer and/or persistence of maternal cells in the fetal circulation. PubMed. J Immunol. 2004 Apr 15;172(8):5041-5046. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: Fetal Cells) |
