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Current management of polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

This article reviews the clinical features and emphasises the treatment of polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Pharmacological intervention with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents is discussed. In addition, strategies regarding the initiation and subsequent tapering of these drugs are provided, and an algorithmic approach to the management of myositis is provided. Therapeutic modalities for patients with refractory disease are considered, and the potential adverse effects of such treatment are discussed. Since patients with myositis often have disease-related complaints other than muscle weakness, a practical treatment approach for these problems is also outlined.

Dermatomyositis↗

Juvenile dermatomyositis: recognition and treatment.

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a multisystem disease characterized by acute and chronic lymphocytic inflammation of the skeletal muscle and skin. The disease is marked early in its course by the presence of a vasculopathy or vasculitis, and later by the development of calcinosis. Research has focused on the epidemiology, etiology, and pathogenesis of the disease with, until more recently, limited therapeutic interventions. This article highlights treatment regimens, both traditional and more recent interventions. Traditional treatment for JDM includes high dose corticosteroid treatment with additional agents used in resistant disease or children with unwarranted adverse effects. Traditional therapy begins with daily oral corticosteroids, with intravenous corticosteroids utilized in severe disease; however, recent data suggests that short-term use of intravenous corticosteroids will allow a short-term improvement in strength, with no long-term change in outcome. More recent investigations suggest that early intervention with additional immunomodulatory agents will allow for a faster recovery, with less medication and disease sequelae. Use of methotrexate as an agent early in the disease course is becoming common place. Methotrexate, in conjunction with oral corticosteroids, allows a rapid improvement in symptoms, and allows for a more rapid reduction in corticosteroid dose. Methotrexate is considered as a steroid sparing agent, whether oral or intravenous corticosteroids are used. Additional immunomodulatory agents include the use of cyclosporine with or without methotrexate. Intravenous immunoglobulin has been reported to have benefit in resistant disease. There are exciting new agents which have great potential in treating JDM. Many of these agents are termed biologics and are being tested in adult myositis and juvenile arthritis. These include tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors, such as a chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha, and a recombinant soluble human TNF receptor (p75)-Fc fusion protein. Many other new biological agents are also being tested in myositis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Polymyositis-dermatomyositis and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

An association between polymyositis-dermatomyositis (PM/DM) and malignancy has been reported. However, controversy exists regarding a direct causal relationship between the two diseases. We describe a patient who had had PM and subsequently developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and discuss the possibility of their causal relation.

Adult↗

Cutaneous vasculitis in a patient with dermatomyositis without muscle involvement.

A 74-year-old female patient with cutaneous ulcerations and typical dermatomyositis (DM) skin rash had no muscle disease for a 1-year and 5 months period. Histological examination of the skin ulceration indicated vascular occlusion without cellular infiltration. Cutaneous ulceration is a very rare manifestation of adult-onset DM patients without inflammatory myopathy.

Aged↗

Two patients with polymyositis or dermatomyositis complicated with massive pleural effusion.

Two patients with polymyositis (PM) or dermatomyositis (DM) complicated with massive pleural effusion are reported here. Both patients presented a high-grade fever, pleural effusion prominent on the right, and good response to steroid therapy. In a 50-year-old woman with PM, combined process of pleural inflammation, cardiomyopathy and coexisting hypothyroidism were considered to be responsible for the accumulation of the massive pleural effusion. However, in a 34-year-old man with DM, pleural inflammation associated with interstitial pneumonia or pleural microvasculopathy in DM was considered to be responsible for the accumulation of the massive pleural effusion.

Adult↗

Dermatomyositis associated with invasive thymoma.

We report a case of dermatomyositis (DM) associated with invasive thymoma in a 22-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea which required ventilation support. The reddened elevated scaly eruptions were prominent over the extensor surfaces. Chest X-ray and computed tomography showed mediastinal masses, which were diagnosed as mixed type thymoma. Muscle and skin biopsy specimens were compatible with DM. She was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy followed by extended removal of the anterior mediastinal tumor and subsequent radiotherapy. She has had a good clinical course without recurrence of thymoma or DM for more than 3 years. The role of thymoma in the development of DM is discussed.

Adult↗

Abnormal IL-1 receptor antagonist production in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between serum levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and its gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM). METHODS: IL-1Ra levels in sera from patients and supernatants of unstimulated monocyte cultures were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of IL-1Ra mRNA was analyzed by Northern blotting, and an 86-base pair variable repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of the IL-1Ra gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Serum IL-1Ra was significantly elevated in 27 patients with active-stage PM/DM when compared with levels in 16 patients with inactive-stage PM/DM and 19 normal controls. Serum concentrations of IL-1Ra were correlated with PM/DM disease activity. IL-1Ra mRNA was detected in freshly isolated PBMC from patients with active-stage PM/DM, but not in controls. Moreover, IL-1Ra concentrations were increased significantly in unstimulated monocytes from patients with active-stage PM/DM compared with monocytes from normal controls. However, there were no significant differences in IL-1Ra allele frequencies between patients and normal controls. CONCLUSION: Elevation of both IL-1Ra mRNA and protein in sera of patients with active-stage PM/DM suggest that higher levels of serum IL-1Ra may reflect increased IL-1Ra production in myositis, and that IL-1Ra may regulate IL-1-mediated muscle fiber damage in PM/DM.

Adolescent↗

Successful combined therapy of cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine for acute exacerbated interstitial pneumonia associated with dermatomyositis.

Interstitial pneumonia of polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM), especially the rapid progressive type, is a serious complication. We report a case of acute exacerbated interstitial pneumonia associated with DM. The respiratory distress condition was refractory to steroid pulse therapy and cyclosporine, however, there was a good response to additional intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy (IVCY). We propose the possibility that the combination of these immunosuppressants might be useful for interstitial pneumonia with DM which is resistant to conventional steroid therapies.

Acute Disease↗

Dermatomyositis with splenic and renal infarctions during corticosteroid therapy.

A 60-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with complaints of muscle weakness and erythema on her extremities. Gottron's sign, heliotrope rash, elevation of serum myogenic enzymes, electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging findings established a diagnosis of dermatomyositis (DM). She was treated with 60 mg of daily prednisolone. One week later, she suddenly developed splenic and renal infarctions, which were considered to have resulted from vasculopathy associated with DM. Cyclophosphamide and anticoagulants along with increasing the dosage of corticosteroid were effective. This is the first report describing splenic and renal infarctions in a patient with adult-onset DM.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗

An autopsy case of intravascular lymphomatosis with dermatomyositis.

A 62-year-old man was admitted to hospital with general malaise, arthralgia, edema, and high-grade fever. He was diagnosed as dermatomyositis because of typical skin rashes and muscle weakness. His symptoms were improved by high-doses of prednisolone and cyclosporin A, with the exception of the skin rash over the back. High-grade fever developed again when tapering prednisolone. His condition deteriorated gradually. Paresthesia, hypothyroidism, metabolic acidosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy occurred, and he died eight months after the first admission. Postmortem examination revealed intravascular proliferation of atypical mononuclear cells in the lumens of small vessels in all organs. Intravascular lymphomatosis (B cell type) was diagnosed.

Autopsy↗

Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease in a dermatomyositis patient with high levels of creatine phosphokinase, severe muscle symptoms and positive anti-Jo-1 antibody.

It has been reported that there is a subgroup of dermatomyositis (DM) patients with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD) who have mild muscle symptoms, slightly increased levels of muscle enzymes, and absence of anti-Jo-1 antibody. A 51-year-old woman with DM was intubated requiring mechanical ventilation because of a rapidly progressing ILD in spite of the absence of the typical poor prognostic factors. A high dose or pulse therapy of corticosteroids was not effective, but additional treatment of cyclosporine gradually improved her respiratory condition. It is not clear why a rapidly progressive ILD occurred in this case lacking poor prognostic factors. However, if corticosteroid treatment is not effective, additional administration of cyclosporine in the early period of rapidly progressive ILD may rescue deteriorating cases.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗

Dermatomyositis with peripheral nervous system involvement: activation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor (VEGFR) in vasculitic lesions.

We describe two cases of dermatomyositis (DM) with nervous system involvement. Polyneuropathy was observed in both patients, and cerebral vasculitis was suspected in one patient. Histological examination of biopsied specimens of skeletal muscles, skin and sural nerves revealed vasculitis. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) were overexpressed in vasculitic lesions. Although, VEGF and VEGFRs were not detected in biopsied specimens of skeletal muscle from normal subjects, they were observed in one of two patients with DM who did not exhibit neuropathy. These findings suggest the possibility that VEGF overproduction is associated with development of vasculitis in some cases of DM complicated with peripheral neuropathy.

Aged↗

Intractable skin necrosis and interstitial pneumonia in amyopathic dermatomyositis, successfully treated with cyclosporin A.

We report a patient with amyopathic dermatomyositis (DM) who mainly showed interstitial pneumonia and intractable skin necrosis in bilateral elbows and soles with a poor response to immunomediated therapy, including corticosteroid and high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin. Soon after starting oral cyclosporin A (CyA) the skin lesions healed completely and the interstitial pneumonia promptly improved in parallel with a decrease in serum KL-6. Since fatal interstitial pneumonia is frequently associated with amyopathic DM as in this case, administration of CyA should be actively considered as a therapeutic option when clinical symtoms are progressive and resistant to conventional treatments.

Adult↗

[A case of dermatomyositis associated with asymptomatic pneumomediastinum].

A 20-year-old woman initially presented with edematous erythema in the upper eyelids in December 1995. She was admitted to our department in January 1996 because of fever and multiple arthralgia. She was given a diagnosis of dermatomyositis (DM) on the basis of characteristic eruption, elevated serum level of creatine kinase, and increased inflammatory reaction. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed faint interstitial changes in the left lower lung. The administration of corticosteroid caused improvement in the patient's condition and the interstitial lesion in the lung. Although she was asymptomatic, chest CT showed pneumomediastinum in the pretracheal space and concomitant pneumothorax around left bronchus. Those changes spontaneously disappeared 4 weeks later without treatment. The occurrence of pneumomediastinum in patients with DM has been well documented as an indicator of poor prognosis in the literature. It seems that a severe pulmonary disorder could secondary cause pneumomediastinum. In our case, however, the pneumomediastinum developed in spite of the low grade severity of the pulmonary lesion. This finding suggested that the pneumomediastinum may be associated with the development of DM itself.

Adult↗

[Case of hemophagocytic syndrome associated with active dermatomyositis].

We report a case of dermatomyositis (DM) with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). The patient is a 60 year old male admitted to our hospital with muscle weakness, high fever, weight loss and pancytopenia. On physical examination, proximal muscle weakness and skin rash on the back were noted. Laboratory data revealed elevated serum levels of muscle enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin. Serum levels of M-CSF, TNF-alpha, soluble IL 2 receptor were remarkably increased. Bone marrow aspiration showed histiocytosis of 7 to 10% with prominent hemophagocytosis. Gastroendoscopic examination revealed II-a gastric cancer. He was treated with methylprednisolone (m-PSL) pulse theraphy (1 g/ day x 3 days) followed by 60 mg/day oral prednisolone. He quickly responded to the treatment and laboratory data returned to normal in 20 days despite the remaining gastric cancer which was removed successfully 3 months later. HPS is a rare complication of DM and only three cases have been documented so far in the literature. Augmented cytokine in his serum is considered to be closely related to HPS in this case.

Biomarkers↗

[A case of interstitial pneumonia associated with dermatomyositis effectively treated with cyclosporin-A and cyclophosphamide pulse].

A 46-year-old male demonstrated edematous fingers on both hands in November 2003, and interstitial pneumonia was noted on chest X-ray during a medical check-up in December 2003. Since muscular weakness and fever developed thereafter, and interstitial pneumonia was aggravated on chest X-ray and CT, the patient was admitted to our hospital on March 25, 2004. Heliotrope-like erythema, and Gottron's sign were noted. Laboratory findings showed the following ; LDH 876 U/l ; CK 224 U/l ; CRP 5.68 mg/dl ; and KL-6 3270 U/ml. Autoantibodies such as anti-Jo-1 antibody were all negative. Chest X-ray and CT showed ground-glass opacity in the bilateral lower dorsal regions of the lung, and reduced volume of the inferior lobe. He was diagnosed as having dermatomyositis (DM) associated with progressive interstitial pneumonia. Although a combination of steroid pulse therapy and Cyclosporin-A were administered, the pulmonary lesions became aggravated. Additional intravenous Cyclophosphamide (IVCY) was initiated on the 6th hospital day, and interstitial pneumonia was markedly improved. Cases of progressive interstitial pneumonia associated with DM that are negative for anti-Jo-1 antibody and show a low ratio of CK/LDH are resistant to various treatments. Our case suggested that combination therapy with steroid, Cyclosporin-A, and IVCY is useful for the treatment of progressive interstitial pneumonia with DM.

Cyclophosphamide↗

Patterns of calcification in childhood dermatomyositis.

The radiographs of 40 patients with childhood dermatomyositis, an uncommon inflammatory disease, were reviewed. Four distinct patterns of calcification were identified: deep calcareal masses, superficial calcareal masses, deep linear deposits, and a lacy, reticular, subcutaneous deposition of calcium encasing the torso (not emphasized in recent literature). This linear reticular pattern of calcification was associated with a severe unremitting clinical course. Soft-tissue calcification was identified in 40% of cases, a lower incidence than previously reported. No patient in this series had acroosteolysis or pulmonary parenchymal disease, radiographic findings more commonly associated with childhood scleroderma.

Adolescent↗

Pulmonary involvement in polymyositis and dermatomyositis: sequential evaluation with CT.

OBJECTIVE: The characteristic findings of pulmonary involvement in polymyositis (PM) or dermatomyositis (DM) and the change in findings before and after treatment were evaluated with sequential high-resolution CT studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT images of pulmonary involvement in 19 patients with PM or DM were reviewed. During a period of 2-61 months, 17 of these patients underwent sequential CT before and after treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, or both. RESULTS: Findings of the initial CT studies included pleural irregularities and prominent interlobular septa (n = 19), ground-glass attenuation (n = 19), patchy consolidation (n = 19), parenchymal bands (n = 15), irregular peribronchovascular thickening (n = 15), and subpleural lines (n = 7). Honeycombing was not detected on any CT images. These findings were more remarkable in the lower portion and the subpleural area of the lungs. In 16 of the 17 patients who underwent sequential CT conditions such as patchy consolidation, parenchymal bands, and irregular peribronchovascular thickening improved, becoming pleural irregularities and prominent interlobular septa, ground-glass attenuation, and subpleural lines on follow-up CT scans. CONCLUSION: Consolidation with patchy and subpleural distribution, parenchymal bands, and irregular peribronchovascular thickening were characteristic and reversible CT findings in patients with PM or DM.

Adult↗