Survival analysis of patients with dermatomyositis and polymyositis: analysis of 192 Chinese cases. Clin Rheumatol. 2011;30:1595-1601. [PMID: 21915609 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-011-1840-0]

Long-term follow-up of 62 patients with myositis

The aim of this work is to evaluate disease-related mortality and the course of the disease including functional outcome and quality of life. We did a follow-up study on a large prospective cohort of 62 patients with subacute-onset idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) (dermatomyositis (n = 24), nonspecific myositis (n = 34), necrotizing autoimmune myopathy (n = 4)) after treatment with corticosteroids only (randomized controlled trial comparing daily high-dosage prednisone with pulse therapy of dexamethasone). Development of connective tissue disease (CTD) or malignancy, disease course and mortality, functional outcome and quality of life were evaluated. After a mean follow-up of 3 years (SD 1.5), 22 % had developed a CTD and 17 % a malignancy. Disease-related mortality was 15 %. A monophasic disease course was found in 27 %. Most patients had a chronic (35 %) or polyphasic disease (35 %) course and experienced single or multiple relapses. Sixteen patients (33 %) were off medication after a mean of 1 year of treatment. Disability scores improved particularly in the first 18 months. At follow-up, 68 % still perceived disabilities. Quality of life scores as measured by the short-form (SF)-36 improved in the first 18 months. After 18 months, scores remained stable during the next years of follow-up and remained low compared to a normal population. (1) Two-thirds of the patients with an IIM have a polyphasic or chronic disease course and need maintenance treatment. (2) The impact on functional outcome and quality of life is considerable and does not improve further after 18 months.

Inflammatory myopathies: One-center experience

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to report our experience with inflammatory myositis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In total, 60 patients were evaluated retrospectively, and 43 of them (71.7%) were female. The median age was 45 (17-81). Of all patients, 33 (55%) were diagnosed as polymyositis, 22 (36.6%) as dermatomyositis (classical, amyopathic, and malignancy-associated), and 5 (8.33%) as undifferentiated myositis. The 3 patients with malignancy-associated dermatomyositis had lung cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and endometrial cancer. Two patients with polymyositis had a history of low-grade gastric mixed tumor and thymoma but were diagnosed 7 and 12 years ago, and no recurrences have been reported during the routine controls.

RESULTS

All patients, other than two with malignancy-associated dermatomyositis, were treated via immunosuppressive agent, and the third patient with lung cancer was diagnosed later and gave up immunosuppressive therapy. Thirty-nine (65%) of the patients were treated via oral low-dose steroid, and 19 (31.7%) were treated via intravenous high-dose pulse steroid therapy. All patients were treated with steroid, which was tapered by time, and 23 (38.3%) were treated with azathioprine, 6 (10%) were treated with cyclophosphamide, 3 (5%) were treated with methotrexate, and 6 (10%) were treated with isolated steroid therapy at the time of diagnosis. The median follow-up period was 37 (2-135) months. Six patients (10%) have died-3 due to myocardial infarction, 1 due to septic shock, 1 due to malignancy, and 1 with an unknown reason. The 5-year survival rate was 76.9%, and the 10-year survival rate was 40%.

CONCLUSION

Other than the high ratio of PM in our series, all other results were compatible with the literature. We faced few resistant diseases; therefore, biologic agents were used rarely.

HLA class II alleles may influence susceptibility to adult dermatomyositis and polymyositis in a Han Chinese population

Background

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Genetic variability in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PM and DM. However, few studies on the subject in Chinese populations have been reported thus far.

Methods

We studied the influence of HLA polymorphisms on DM and PM susceptibility by analyzing HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, and HLA-DQB1 alleles in 71 adult DM patients, 20 adult PM patients, and 113 controls in a Han Chinese population.

Results

A positive association was found between HLA-DQA1*0104 and DM (p = 0.01; corrected p (p_corr) NS; odds ratio (OR) = 2.58; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18–5.64), while an inverse correlation was noted between HLA-DQB1*0303 and myositis patients with interstitial lung inflammation (p = 0.01; p_corr NS; OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.07–0.73). A positive relationship was also observed between HLA-DRB1*07 and DM (p = 0.01; p_corr NS; OR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.12–4.59), while HLA-DRB1*03 seems to be protective against DM (p = 0.01; p_corr NS; OR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.06–0.81). The lung complication was closely associated with HLA-DRB1*04 (p = 0.01; p_corr NS; OR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.15–6.76) and HLA-DRB1*12 (p = 0.02; p_corr NS; OR = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.02–6.07). The frequency of HLA-DRB1*07 was significantly higher among myositis patients with dysphagia than among controls (p = 0.01; p_corr NS; OR = 4.78; 95% CI: 1.03–24.42). The putative haplotype DRB1*07-DQA1*01-DQB1*02 was positively correlated with DM (p = 0.03; p_corr NS; OR = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.02–8.93) and the lung complication (p = 0.02; p_corr NS; OR = 3.45; 95% CI: 1.04–11.58).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that HLA alleles may be involved in susceptibility to adult DM and PM in the Han Chinese population.

Functional outcome and prognostic factors in anti-Jo1 patients with antisynthetase syndrome

INTRODUCTION

The aims of this present study were firstly to assess the outcome, including functional course, in anti-Jo1 positive patients with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS), and secondly to determine predictive parameters of poor outcome in these patients.

METHODS

The medical records of 86 consecutive anti-Jo1 patients with ASS were reviewed in 4 academic centers.

RESULTS

13 patients (15.1%) achieved remission of ASS, whereas 55 (63.9%) improved and 18 (20.9%) deteriorated in their clinical status. Both steroid and cytotoxic drugs could be discontinued in only 4.7% of patients. ASS was associated with decreased quality of life at long-term follow-up: only 69.2% of patients considered to be in remission experienced a return to previous normal activities; and 24.7% of other patients with non-remitting ASS still had a marked reduction of activities (as shown by the disability scale of the Health Assessment Questionnaire). Decreased quality of life was further due to calcinosis cutis (8.1%) and adverse effects of steroid therapy (36%). Factors associated with ASS deterioration were older age, pulmonary and esophageal involvement, calcinosis cutis and cancer. Higher anti-Jo1 levels were further associated with disease severity in ASS patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows high morbidity related to ASS. Furthermore, we suggest that patients with predictive factors of ASS deterioration may require more aggressive therapy. Our findings also suggest that in anti-Jo1 patients with severe esophageal manifestations, combined high dose steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins might be proposed as the first line therapy. Finally, as cancer occurred in 14% of anti-Jo1 patients, our findings underscore that the search for cancer should be performed in these patients.

Chloroquine diphosphate: a risk factor for herpes zoster in patients with dermatomyositis/polymyositis

OBJECTIVES

Herpes zoster has been widely described in the context of different systemic autoimmune diseases but not dermatomyositis/polymyositis. Therefore, we analyzed the prevalence, risk factors and herpes zoster outcomes in this population.

METHOD

A retrospective cohort study of herpes zoster infections in dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients was performed. The patients were followed at a tertiary center from 1991 to 2012. For the control group, each patient with herpes zoster was paired with two patients without herpes zoster. Patients were matched by gender and the type of myositis, age at myositis onset and disease duration.

RESULTS

Of 230 patients, 24 (10.4%) had a histories of herpes zoster (19 with dermatomyositis and five with polymyositis, two-thirds female). The mean age of the patients with herpes zoster was 44.6±16.8 years. No difference between the groups was found regarding cumulative clinical manifestations. Disease activity, autoantibody, muscle and leukogram parameters were also comparable between the groups. No differences in immunosuppressive (alone or in association with other immunosuppressive therapies) or glucocorticoid (current use, medium dose and cumulative dose in the last two months) therapies were found between patients with and without herpes zoster. However, a higher proportion of patients in the herpes zoster group received chloroquine diphosphate compared to the control group. All of the patients received acyclovir; 58.3% of patients had postherpetic neuralgia and no cases of recurrence were reported. Furthermore, individuals who were taking high prednisone doses at the time of the herpes zoster diagnosis had reduced levels of postherpetic neuralgia.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that chloroquine diphosphate could predispose patients with dermatomyositis/polymyositis to developing herpes zoster, particularly women and dermatomyositis patients.

Clinical features of inflammatory myopathies and their association with malignancy: a systematic review in asian population

Introduction. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of chronic systemic autoimmune diseases that mainly affect the skeletal muscle. The common subtypes include adult dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis (PM), and inclusion body myositis (IBM). Most of the earlier studies that described the clinical characteristics of IIM as well as their association with cancer were conducted in Western population. Our study is the first systematic review that summarizes the clinical data of DM/PM in Asian population. Methods. We identified 14 case series of DM/PM that met our eligibility criteria. We then compared this data with that from previous reports from Europe and North America. Results. Our systematic review included 2518 patients. Dermatomyositis is more common, with the ratio of dermatomyositis to polymyositis being 1.36 : 1. 69% of them were females with mean age of 45.5 years. Extramuscular manifestations, including arthritis/arthralgia, dysphagia, and interstitial lung disease, are found in one-third of the patients. Malignancy was found in 10% of patients, with lung and nasopharyngeal carcinomas being the most common malignancies associated with these myopathies. Conclusion. Clinical presentation of PM/DM appears to be similar in both Western and Asian populations. However, the type of associated malignancies in Asians differs from that in Caucasians. Ethnic background should be one of the factors that clinicians should consider while screening for malignancy.

Therapeutic advances in myositis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the treatment advances of the inflammatory myopathies, a heterogeneous group of diseases that includes polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and inclusion body myositis.

RECENT FINDINGS

There are few clinical trials in myositis, making it difficult to provide clear recommendations on the treatment of these rare disorders. The current management for IIM includes the initial use of corticosteroids followed by various conventional second-line treatments such as methotrexate and azathioprine. Although these drugs have not been tested in rigorous randomized controlled trials, general expert consensus confirms their use. Intravenous immunoglobulin is a reasonable short-term treatment with proven benefit in one controlled trial, although the evidence for other immunosuppressive therapies has been derived mainly from uncontrolled studies. Cyclosporine or tacrolimus have shown efficacy in myositis including those patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), whereas mycophenolate mofetil is effective in both polymyositis and refractory dermatomyosits (including recalcitrant rash) and ILD. Uncontrolled studies for rituximab are encouraging but results from the largest randomized controlled trial in myositis failed to meet the primary endpoint. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents have shown mixed results in small, randomized clinical trials with infliximab demonstrating no benefit and etanercept leading to encouraging results warranting further study. Some newer novel therapies such as ACTH analogues and tocilizumab require additional investigation.

SUMMARY

The balance of evidence suggests that traditional immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs are certainly effective in polymyositis and dermatomyositis despite the lack of randomized controlled trials. Newer therapies are being studied but no major breakthroughs have been realized.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and dermatomyositis: an analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample survey

Introduction

Increased rates of cardiovascular disease are implicated in several rheumatologic diseases. Our aim was to characterize dermatomyositis hospitalizations and evaluate cardiovascular-associated mortality in this patient population.

Methods

We examined the frequency and mortality rates of several atherosclerotic cardiovascular diagnoses and procedures among hospitalized adult patients with dermatomyositis using data from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 1993 to 2007. We compared the odds of death among hospitalized dermatomyositis patients with each cardiovascular diagnosis or procedure to those without, as well as to controls with cardiovascular diagnoses, using logistic regression.

Results

A total of 50,322 hospitalizations of dermatomyositis patients occurred between 1993 and 2007 (mean age 58 years, and 73% female). Of all dermatomyositis hospitalizations, 20% were associated with a concurrent atherosclerotic cardiovascular diagnosis or procedure. The overall in-hospital mortality was 5.7%. Dermatomyositis patients with any associated atherosclerotic cardiovascular diagnosis or procedure were twice as likely to die during the inpatient stay compared to dermatomyositis patients who did not have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (OR = 2.0 95% CI 1.7-2.5, p < 0.0001). The odds ratio for death in patients with both dermatomyositis and cardiovascular disease compared to controls with cardiovascular disease alone was 1.98 (95% CI 1.57-2.48) in multivariate adjusted models.

Conclusions

Approximately one fifth of dermatomyositis hospitalizations in the US were associated with an atherosclerotic cardiovascular diagnosis or procedure. These patients have double the risk of in-hospital death in comparison with controls and dermatomyositis patients without a cardiovascular diagnosis, making identification of these groups important for both prognostic purposes and clinical care.

Morbidity and mortality in adult polymyositis and dermatomyositis

Before the use of corticosteroids, the prognosis for polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) was extremely poor. To date, although overall prognosis appears to be better, PM and DM are still considered to be associated with increased morbidity, primarily related to severe muscle weakness and visceral involvement. Recent series underline that only 20% to 40% of treated patients will achieve PM/DM remission, whereas 60% to 80% will experience a polycyclic or chronic, continuous course of the disease. PM/DM further continues to have a great impact on life in medium- and long-term follow-up, as up to 80% of treated patients are still disabled (using Health Assessment Questionnaire scores). The overall mortality ratio in PM/DM patients also remains threefold higher compared with the general population, with cancer, lung, and cardiac complications and infections being the most common causes of deaths. Predictive factors for a poor prognosis in PM/DM patients are older age, involvement of lung and cardiac systems, dysphagia, cancer, and serum myositis-specific antibodies (including coexistent presence of anti-Ro52 and anti-Jo1 antibodies, anti-signal recognition particle antibody, anti-155/140, and anti-CADM-140 antibodies).