| Associated Conditions: MAIN MENU | |
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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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| Treatments for Dermatomyositis (DM) and Polymyositis (PM) |
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| Overview of Treatments for DM and PM |
| Two simple, reliable and valid tests of proximal muscle function, and their application to the management of idiopathic inflammatory myositis. Both tests are responsive to changes in disease activity, offer physiological and practical advantages over existing tests and are suitable for use in clinical practice. Rheumatology 2006 45(7):874-879 |
| B Cell Targeted Therapies in Autoimmune Diseases. In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, B cells are likely to play a significant role in the development of other autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, and vasculitis. Tthese studies demonstrate that B cell-modulating therapies show promise in treatment of a variety of autoimmune diseases. J Rheumatol 2006 May;33 Suppl 77: 24-28. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: B Cells and T Cells, Lupus, and Vasculitis) |
| Regression of cutis calcinosis with diltiazem in adult dermatomyositis. Calcinosis cutis is common in several connective tissue diseases such as dermatomyositis, scleroderma or lupus erythematous. We report a case of adult cutis calcinosis associated with dermatomyositis which responded dramatically to treatment with diltiazem. PubMed. Eur J Dermatol. 2005 Mar-Apr;15(2):102-4. (Also see: Calcinosis) |
| Biological Agents |
| Treatment of Adult Inflammatory Myositis With Rituximab: An Emerging Therapy for Refractory Patients. Early uncontrolled clinical experience indicates that rituximab may be a valuable therapeutic agent for treatment of refractory idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. S. Majmudar, D.O. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. October 2009. Vol 15. Issue 7. pp 338-340. |
| Rituximab For Refractory Polymyositis: An Open-Label Prospective Study. Rituximab is an option to be considered in refractory polymyositis and further controlled trials are necessary to confirm its efficacy. C. C. Mok THU0292 EULAR 2007. |
| University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Given $8 Million to Research a Drug for Myositis. The study will test a drug called rituximab in adults and also in children diagnosed with dermatomyositis one of the forms of myositis that causes muscle weakness and a rash. It will also be tested in adults with a version called polymyositis. This one does not produce a rash. The People's Media Company. 08/15/07. |
| Combination Therapies |
| Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis Associated with Malignancy: A 21-year Retrospective Study. In patients with tumor-associated myositis, it was more frequently necessary to administer other immunosuppressive drugs along with glucocorticoids. J Rheumatol 2008;35:438-44. |
| 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. |
| Combination Therapy with Corticosteroids, Cyclosporin A, and Intravenous Pulse Cyclophosphamide for Acute/Subacute Interstitial Pneumonia in Patients with Dermatomyositis. Immediate institution of intensified immunosuppressive therapy should be considered for patients with A/SIP complicating DM. J Rheumatol 2005 September;32:1719-26. |
| Exercise |
| Molecular effects of exercise in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease. Resistance exercise training can reduce the expression of genes involved in inflammation and fibrosis in patients with myositis, and in vitro mechanical loading of chondrocytes can suppress the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, indicating that exercise can also reduce inflammation in the local tissue environment. (PubMed) Lundberg IE. Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. October 7, 2008. |
| Benefits of intensive resistance training in patients with chronic polymyositis or dermatomyositis. Patients with chronic, stable PM and DM can perform this intensive resistive exercise program with beneficial effects on impairment and activity limitation without increased muscle inflammation. InterScience. Arthritis Care & Research. Vol 57, Issue 5, pp 768-777. |
| Immunosuppressants |
| Effects of immunosuppressive treatment on microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 and cyclooxygenases expression in muscle tissue of patients with polymyositis or dermatomyositis. Increased expression of mPGES-1, COX-1 and COX-2 at protein level was observed in muscle tissue from patients with myositis compared to healthy individuals. Conventional immunosuppressive treatment led to a significant downregulation of COX-2 in myositis muscle tissue. However, the expression of mPGES-1 and COX-1 remained unchanged indicating a role of these enzymes in the chronicity of these diseases. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2008;67:1596-1602. |
| Pulmonary Fibrosis In Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) And Dermatomyositis (DM) Demonstrates Marked Improvement After Administration Of Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF/Cellcept). MMF's immunomodulatory and inhibitory effects on fibroblasts and other non-immune cells and a well established low side effect profile with high tolerance make MMF a potential alternative to cyclophosphamide in the treatment of SSc or DM related interstitial lung disease. L. A. Saketkoo THU0315 EULAR 2007. (Also see: Pulmonary Fibrosis) |
| Intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCYC) therapy for progressive interstitial pneumonia in patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM). In this open-label study, IVCYC improved symptoms, pulmonary function tests and high-resolution computed tomography findings in patients with PM/DM. Rheumatology 2007 46(1):124-130. (Also see: Cytoxan). |
| 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. |
| Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) |
| Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy (IVIG) for Refractory Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Associated with Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis (PM/DM). IVIG treatment is safe and could be an effective salvage therapy for refractory ILD-PM/DM in certain cases. (SpringerLink) Y.Suzuki. Lung. April 22 2009. |
| Home Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy Safe in Patients With Neuroimmunological Disorders. Intravenous (IV) immunoglobulin therapy has a favourable safety profile for patients with neuroimmunological disorders such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthaenia gravis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and multifocal motor neuropathy. Doctor's Guide Channel. 04/18/08. (Also see: IVIg and Guillain-Barré Syndrome) |
| Limited effects of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment on molecular expression in muscle tissue of patients with inflammatory myopathies. The clinical effects of high-dose IVIG on muscle function in patients with refractory inflammatory active myositis did not correspond to effects on any of the investigated molecules in our study. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2007;66:1276-1283. (Also see: IVIg and Medications) |
| Discovery May Lead to Novel Treatments for Autoimmune and Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Some researchers have shown that IVIG works, in part, by activating a receptor known as FcγRIIb, which then suppresses auto-antibody-mediated inflammation. Newswise. 01/26/07. (Also see: Clinical Trials: Positive Results: IVIG, Medications, and Myasthenia Gravis) |
| Mycophenolate mofetil as an effective corticosteroid-sparing therapy for recalcitrant dermatomyositis. Mycophenolate mofetil may be an effective corticosteroid-sparing therapy for the treatment of some patients with DM. Edge JC. (PubMed) Arch Dermatol. 2006 Jan;142(1):65-9. |
| Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in autoimmune neuromuscular diseases. Outcomes of controlled trials indicate that IVIG at a total dose of 2 g/kg is effective as second-line therapy in stiff-person syndrome, dermatomyositis, myasthenia gravis, and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome. PubMed. JAMA. 2004 May 19;291(19):2367-75. (Also see: Medications and Myasthenia Gravis) |
| Stem Cell Transplants |
| Successful autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in two patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). We demonstrate that ASCT is a therapeutic option with low toxicity for patients with severe, refractory JDM. (InformaWorld) U. Holzer. Scandanavian Journal of Rheumatology. September 24 2009. |
| Treatment Resistant Anti-Srp Positive Polymyositis Successfully Treated With Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation. This is the first report on a successful autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in a patient with treatment resistant anti-SRP positive polymyositis. J. C. Henes. AB0504 EULAR 2007. |
