Frequency of relapses in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis

Subclinical systolic and diastolic myocardial dysfunction in polyphasic polymyositis/dermatomyositis: a 2-year longitudinal study

Background

Cardiac involvement in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality risk; however, little is known about the progression of cardiac dysfunction and long-term data are scarce. In the present work, we intended to prospectively study echocardiographic parameters in patients with IIM for 2 years.

Methods

Twenty-eight IIM patients (41.9±1.6 years) without cardiovascular symptoms were enrolled. Patients with monophasic/polyphasic disease patterns were studied separately and compared to age-matched healthy individuals. Conventional echocardiographic and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) parameters of systolic [LV: ejection fraction (EF), mitral annulus systolic movement (MAPSE), lateral s′) and diastolic left (mitral inflow velocities, lateral anulus velocities: e′, a′, E/e′) and right ventricular function (fractional area change: FAC, tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion: TAPSE) were measured at the time of the diagnosis and 2 years later.

Results

Subclinical LV systolic dysfunction is characterized by reduced lateral s′ (10.4 vs. 6.4 cm/s, p<0.05), EF (62.6±0.6%, vs. 51.7±0.7%) and MAPSE (18.5±0.6 vs. 14.5±0.6 mm) could be observed in IIM patients with polyphasic disease course 2 years after diagnosis compared to controls. Furthermore, diastolic LV function showed a marked deterioration to grade I diastolic dysfunction at 2 years in the polyphasic group (lateral e′: 12.9 ±0.6, vs. 7.4±0.3 cm/s; lateral a′: 10.7±0.3, vs. 17.3±0.8 cm/s; p<0.05) supported by larger left atrium (32.1±0.6 vs. 37.8±0.6 mm; p<0.05]. TDI measurements confirmed subclinical RV systolic dysfunction in polyphasic patients 2 years after diagnosis (FAC: 45.6±1.8%, vs. 32.7±1.4%; TAPSE: 22.7±0.5, vs. 18.1±0.3 mm; p<0.05). Similar, but not significant tendencies could be detected in patients with monophasic disease patterns. Polyphasic patients showed significantly (p<0.05) worse results compared to monophasic patients regarding EF (51.7±0.7% vs. 58.1±0.6%), lateral s′ (6.4±0.4 cm/sec vs. 8.6±0.4 cm/s,), left atrium (37.8±0.6 mm vs. 33.3±0.8 mm), FAC (32.7±1.4% vs. 41.0±1.6%) and TAPSE (18.1±0.3 mm vs. 21.3±0.7 mm).

Conclusions

Significant subclinical cardiac dysfunction could be detected in IIM patients with polyphasic disease course 2 years after diagnosis, which identifies them as a high-risk population. TDI is a useful method to detect echocardiographic abnormalities in IIM complementing conventional echocardiography and can recognize the high cardiac risk.

Treatment consensus for management of polymyositis and dermatomyositis among rheumatologists, neurologists and dermatologists

Although rheumatologists, neurologists and dermatologists see patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM), their management appears to vary depending on the physician's specialty. The aim of the present study was to establish the treatment consensus among specialists of the three fields to standardize the patient care. We formed a research team supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan. Clinical questions (CQ) on the management of PM and DM were raised. A published work search on CQ was performed primarily using PubMed. Using the nominal group technique, qualified studies and results in the published work were evaluated and discussed to reach consensus recommendations. They were sent out to the Japan College of Rheumatology, Japanese Society of Neurology and Japanese Dermatological Association for their approval. We reached a consensus in 23 CQ and made recommendations and a decision tree for management was proposed. They were officially approved by the three scientific societies. In conclusion, a multidisciplinary treatment consensus for the management of PM and DM was established for the first time.

Dermatomyositis: factors predicting relapse

BACKGROUND

The course of dermatomyositis (DM) can be chronic with relapses, which are associated with major morbidity.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify presentation features that predict DM relapses.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed data of patients with DM recorded from 1990 to 2011, including muscle biopsy results. Characteristics of patients with and without relapses were compared. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using a Cox model.

RESULTS

We identified 34 patients, with a mean age of 46 ± 17 years (range, 18-77) and 24 (71%) women. The muscle and skin abnormalities relapsed in 21 (61%) patients. By univariate analysis, two presentation features were significantly associated with a subsequently relapsing course, namely, dysphonia [HR = 3.2 (1.2-8.5)] and greater skin lesion severity defined as a Cutaneous Disease Area Severity Index [CDASI] > 20 [HR = 3.5 (1.2-7.9)].

CONCLUSION

Dysphonia and skin lesion severity at disease onset must be recorded, as they significantly predict a relapsing disease course.

Cost-utility analysis of intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of steroid-refractory dermatomyositis in Thailand

INTRODUCTION

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been shown to be effective in treating steroid-refractory dermatomyositis (DM). There remains no evidence of its cost-effectiveness in Thailand.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to estimate the cost utility of IVIG as a second-line therapy in steroid-refractory DM in Thailand.

METHODS

A Markov model was developed to estimate the relevant costs and health benefits for IVIG plus corticosteroids in comparison with immunosuppressant plus corticosteroids in steroid-refractory DM from a societal perspective over a patient's lifetime. The effectiveness and utility parameters were obtained from clinical literature, meta-analyses, medical record reviews, and patient interviews, whereas cost data were obtained from an electronic hospital database and patient interviews. Costs are presented in $US, year 2012 values. All future costs and outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3% per annum. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were also performed.

RESULTS

Over a lifetime horizon, the model estimated treatment under IVIG plus corticosteroids to be cost saving compared with immunosuppressant plus corticosteroids, where the saving of costs and incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were $US4738.92 and 1.96 QALYs, respectively. Sensitivity analyses revealed that probability of response of immunosuppressant plus corticosteroids was the most influential parameter on incremental QALYs and costs. At a societal willingness-to-pay threshold in Thailand of $US5148 per QALY gained, the probability of IVIG being cost effective was 97.6%.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of IVIG plus corticosteroids is cost saving compared with treatment with immunosuppressant plus corticosteroids in Thai patients with steroid-refractory DM. Policy makers should consider using our findings in their decision-making process for adding IVIG to corticosteroids as the second-line therapy for steroid-refractory DM patients.

[Therapeutic strategy in inflammatory myopathies (polymyositis, dermatomyositis, overlap myositis, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy)]

Inflammatory myopathies (IM) are a heterogeneous group of autoimmune muscle disorders of unknown origin that share clinical symptoms such as muscle weakness and histological features with the presence in muscle of inflammatory infiltrate. Based on clinical, histological and serological characteristics, IM can be divided into polymyositis, dermatomyositis, overlap myositis, cancer-associated myositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, and inclusion-body myositis. Because of their resistance to corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, inclusion-body myositis will be treated separately in this issue. Major obstacles in conducting high quality randomized controlled trials in inflammatory myopathies include the low prevalence and the heterogeneity of these diseases as well as the lack of international consensus on the outcome measures. In the absence of adequate controlled therapeutic trials, treatment of these disorders remains largely empirical. Corticosteroids are the cornerstone therapy. Due to the chronic course of the disease, there is a frequent need to use additional immunosuppressive treatment both to improve the disease response and to reduce the side effects of corticosteroids. Intravenous immunoglobulin infusion is a costly treatment option that is reserved in the presence of refractory dermatomyositis based on a trial showing superior efficacy against control in patients with impaired swallowing or with contraindications to immunosuppressive drugs. In patients who fail second-line therapy, which usually consists of methotrexate plus corticosteroids, the diagnosis should be carefully reassessed before considering other treatment options including methotrexate plus azathioprine or biological agents such as rituximab.

Polymyositis-dermatomyositis recognized during the follow-up of a patient with type 2 diabetes

Polymyositis-dermatomyositis is a rare systemic autoimmune disease which belongs to the class of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. The disease exhibits high inter-individual variability, but chronic myositis is a common feature. As different manifestations often appear in atypical forms, establishing the precise diagnosis can be rather complicated. The prognosis and the patient’s life expectations highly depend on whether the clinician considers this possibility in the diagnostic process or not. The authors present the case of a 50-year-old woman who was referred to hospital with suspected myopathy by her general practitioner. The history of the patient, the overall clinical picture and some marked laboratory abnormalities raised the possibility of polymyositis-dermatomyositis, which was unequivocally confirmed by immunological tests. Drug therapy was started immediately with the administration of high dose corticosteroid (1–2 mg/kg/day methylprednisolone), which was found to be an effective strategy leading to fast and remarkable improvement in the patient’s condition. From the first hospital day, the patient also received insulin therapy in order to prevent any potential corticosteroid-induced imbalance in her carbohydrate metabolism. The long-term patient management was provided by an interdisciplinary team the members of which (both clinicians and other health care professionals) worked according to a co-ordinated, complex care plan, and managed not only the “physiological functions” but the different psychological and social problems as well, which are usually associated with the disease. The follow-up period of this polyphase disease process lasted for 4.5 years, during which only two relapses occurred, and muscle strength typically varied between 3 and 4 on a five grade scale with the exception of the relapse periods. Good outcome was attributed to the strict follow-up and individualized therapy/care. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 467–474.

National registry of patients with juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies in Hungary—Clinical characteristics and disease course of 44 patients with juvenile dermatomyositis

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are systemic autoimmune diseases characterized by chronic muscle inflammation resulting in progressive weakness and frequent involvement of internal organs, mainly the pulmonary, gastrointestinal and cardiac systems which considerably contribute to the morbidity and mortality of the IIMs. Aim of this study was to present clinical characteristics, disease course, frequency of relapses and survival in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (DM). A national registry of patients with juvenile IIMs was elaborated by the authors in Hungary. We have summarized data of the register according to signs and symptoms, disease course, frequency of relapses and survival of patients with juvenile IIM. Analysis was performed using data of 44 patients with juvenile DM diagnosed between 1976 and 2004 according to Bohan and Peter's criteria. Survival probability was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Data of patients with juvenile DM were compared with data of 66 patients with adult DM. The most frequent cutaneous features were facial erythema and heliotrope rash. Extramuscular and extraskeletal manifestations of the disease were more frequent in adult patients. The most common extramuscular feature was arthralgia in both groups of patients with juvenile or adult DM. Cardiac manifestation of the disease was not observed in juvenile patients. Respiratory muscle involvement and interstitial lung disease (ILD) were more frequent among adult DM patients than cardiac manifestation of the myositis. In view of the disease course, the authors found that frequency of polycyclic and monophasic subtypes of the disease were mainly similar. The hazard of relapse was found higher during the first year after the remission. None of the juvenile patients died. Among adult patients four disease-specific deaths occurred. There was no correlation between relapse free survival and initial therapeutic regimen. Many of our patients had polycyclic or chronic disease. As relapses can occur after a prolonged disease-free interval, patients should be followed up for at least 2 years. Although we found favourable survival probability, further investigations are needed to assess functional outcome.

The treatment and prognosis of dermatomyositis: an updated review

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. The mainstay of treatment for DM is oral corticosteroids. However, the dose and length of treatment is debated. Adding to the confusion, there have been no randomized controlled studies comparing the use of various corticosteroid doses and taper rates, and no controlled long-term studies assessing the hypothesis that, unlike systemic lupus erythematous, patients with DM can often achieve long-term remission off therapy. This literature review supports an approach that prednisone should be started at about 1 mg/kg/d, which is then tapered slowly based on the response. As patients respond differently to prednisone, additional therapies may be necessary. When to initiate these therapies requires clinical judgment. In addition, as we learn more about the pathophysiology of DM, newer medications that target specific mechanisms in the immune response may help us better treat the disease. Evidence-based data with long-term follow-up will allow for selection of the best treatment to maximize long-term remission, not simply short-term lowering of the systemic corticosteroid dose.

[Current treatments of dermatomyositis and polymyositis]

Idiopathic inflammatory myositides are chronic diseases affecting predominantly the musculoskeletal system and involving high morbidity and mortality. Even when treated with glucocorticosteroids, patients often experience a progressive or relapsing course of the disease, requiring additional immunosuppressants, biologicals, or other therapeutic interventions. Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of primary myositides are still lacking, which means that the optimum therapeutic regimen has still not been defined. This article reviews the current position indicated by the data collected in standard and modern therapeutic options for the treatment of idiopathic inflammatory myositides.

[Disease course, frequency of relapses and survival of patients with juvenile or adult dermatomyositis]

INTRODUCTION

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are systemic autoimmune diseases characterized by chronic muscle inflammation resulting progressive weakness and frequent involvement of internal organs, mainly the pulmonary, gastrointestinal and cardiac systems.

OBJECTIVE

To present clinical characteristics, disease course, frequency of relapses and survival of 79 patients with juvenile or adult dermatomyositis.

METHODS

A national registry of patients with juvenile dermatomyositis was elaborated by the authors in Hungary. The authors summarize data of the register such as signs and symptoms, disease course, frequency of relapses and survival of patients with juvenile dermatomyositis. Analysis was performed using data of 44 patients diagnosed between 1976 and 2004 according to Bohan and Peter's criteria. Survival probability was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Data of patients with juvenile dermatomyositis were compared with data of 35 patients with adult dermatomyositis.

RESULTS

In view of the disease course, the authors found that more than the half of patients have monophasic disease, while one third of them suffered from polycyclic disease. The risk of the relapse was found to be higher during the first year after the remission. None of the juvenile patients died. Among adult patients, 4 disease-specific deaths occurred.

DISCUSSION

There was no correlation between relapse free survival and initial therapeutic regimen. Many of the patients had polycyclic or chronic disease. As relapses can occur after a prolonged disease-free interval, patients should be followed up for at least 2 years. Despite favourable survival probability, further investigations are needed to assess functional outcome.

Dermatomyositis, lobar panniculitis and inflammatory myopathy with abundant macrophages

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare treatable muscle disorder with a reported favorable outcome in most patients. A localized skin/muscle involvement in a DM patient raises questions of definition and causes such as lymphoma, or relapse. We describe here a young treated DM patient who presented a focal biopsy-proven destructive myositis and dermatitis restricted to the left thigh 15 months after the onset of a treated dermatomyositis. There was evidence of subcutaneous lobular panniculitis, somewhat resembling cytophagic histocytic panniculitis associated with a focal inflammatory myopathy with abundant macrophages that destroyed the sartorius muscle. Mild signs of hemophagocytosis and T-CD3 lymphocytosis were present in the bone marrow, but no monoclonal T-lymphocyte expansion was observed, as searched by autoradiography of the totality of TcR Vgamma families. The patient improved with prednisone and azathioprine. We conclude that this focal complication suggests a continuum between dermatomyositis, CHP, and IMAM, the three syndromes where T-cell activation plays an important role.

Anti-signal recognition particle autoantibodies: marker of a necrotising myopathy

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the clinical importance of the anti-signal recognition particle (SRP) autoantibody in patients with myositis.

METHODS

Retrospective systematic assessment of the clinical, laboratory and histological characteristics of 23 anti-SRP-positive patients from six European centres. Data were compared with a large group of anti-SRP-negative patients with myositis published previously.

RESULTS

Clinically, patients with anti-SRP autoantibodies often had a severe symmetric proximal muscle weakness resulting in marked disability, dysphagia and highly elevated levels of serum creatine kinase. Three patients had typical dermatomyositis rashes. The disease was associated with the occurrence of extramuscular signs and symptoms including interstitial lung disease. No association was found with an increased risk of cardiac involvement, and the disease carried a reasonably favourable prognosis with most patients responding to treatment. None of the patients had the typical histological features of myositis. Most muscle biopsy specimens showed the presence of necrotic muscle fibres and no inflammatory infiltrates.

CONCLUSIONS

Anti-SRP autoantibodies are associated with a syndrome of a necrotising myopathy in the spectrum of immune-mediated myopathies that differs from typical polymyositis. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathogenesis and to clarify the role of the anti-SRP autoantibodies in this unique disease.

Characterization of relapses in adult idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

The objective of the current report was to determine the relapse rates and characterize the nature of relapses during the disease course of adult patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). A retrospective cohort study of 53 medical records of patients with polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated myositis, and malignancy-associated myositis at an academic rheumatology center was performed. Medical records were reviewed to determine clinical presentation, initial treatment, and clinical follow-up, with an emphasis on relapses. Relapses were defined as a sustained elevation in serum creatine kinase (CK) levels in the absence of an alternative etiology. Patients were followed for an average of 65+/-43 months. All patients received corticosteroids, and 35 patients received additional immunosuppressive medications as part of their initial treatment. Serum CK levels normalized in 51 patients, and muscle strength normalized in 43 patients. Biochemical relapse was observed in 33 patients (65%). Patients with PM and CTD-associated myositis had a higher relapse rate compared to DM and malignancy-associated myositis patients. Multiple relapses were observed in 17 patients. Relapses tended to occur within the first 2 years after treatment initiation and during the tapering phase of treatment. No risk factors were unequivocally identified, although advanced age and increased duration of symptoms prior to treatment initiation had nonsignificant associations with increased risk of relapse. In conclusion, initial treatment of IIM results in a high rate of normalization of serum CK and muscle weakness. However, physicians should be aware of the high rate of relapse in patients with IIM.

Dermatomyosite induite par la pravastatine

INTRODUCTION

The toxic myopathy caused by statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) is well established. Recent reports add to these effects systemic immune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, polymyositis or dermatomyositis.

EXEGESIS

We report a case of dermatomyositis in a 69-year-old patient treated with pravastatin [Elisor]. She presented with typical features of dermatomyositis 2 years after she started a treatment with pravastatin. The treatment was discontinued and she slowly improved, with a transient dermocorticosteroid treatment. Eight other patients with dermatomyositis and chronic treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are reported in the literature. All of them presented with classical features of dermatomyositis. The discontinuation of the treatment was followed by spontaneous clinical and biological improvement in 3/9 patients. The other patients received high doses of corticosteroids and improved, except one patient who died of respiratory failure (pulmonary fibrosis) despite the adjunction of oral cyclophosphamide [Endoxan]. In these patients, dermatomyositis can be considered as a severe adverse reaction to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors although a distinct casual link cannot be definitely established.

CONCLUSION

The increasing prescription of statins has led to the parallel increment of reported side-effects, where autoimmune diseases are now described. Among them, our case of dermatomyositis in a patient receiving pravastatin adds to the eight reported cases in the literature and highlights the potential role of statins as triggers of immune systemic diseases.

Long-term persistence of clonally expanded T cells in patients with polymyositis

Polymyositis is a CD8(+) T-cell-mediated disease. T-cell clonal expansions are observed at disease onset, but little is known about their persistence over time. Qualitative and quantitative spectratyping demonstrated that PM relapse features dramatically perturbed blood T-cell repertoires but is not associated with the emergence of new T-cell clones. It is striking that patients in remission also maintained all their T-cell repertoire abnormalities. The clonally expanded T-cells displayed a memory phenotype, expressed intracellular perforin, and dramatically responded to IL-2, showing a potential to be reactivated upon appropriate conditions. These results indicate that persistent T-cell clonal expansion is an important feature of polymyositis.

Inflammatory myopathies: clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects

The three major forms of immune-mediated inflammatory myopathy are dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis (PM), and inclusion-body myositis (IBM). They each have distinctive clinical and histopathologic features that allow the clinician to reach a specific diagnosis in most cases. Magnetic resonance imaging is sometimes helpful, particularly if the diagnosis of IBM is suspected but has not been formally evaluated. Myositis-specific antibodies are not helpful diagnostically but may be of prognostic value; most antibodies have low sensitivity. Muscle biopsy is mandatory to confirm the diagnosis of an inflammatory myopathy and to allow unusual varieties such as eosinophilic, granulomatous, and parasitic myositis, and macrophagic myofasciitis, to be recognized. The treatment of the inflammatory myopathies remains largely empirical and relies upon the use of corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, and intravenous immunoglobulin, all of which have nonselective effects on the immune system. Further controlled clinical trials are required to evaluate the relative efficacy of the available therapeutic modalities particularly in combinations, and of newer immunosuppressive agents (mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus) and cytokine-based therapies for the treatment of resistant cases of DM, PM, and IBM. Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of muscle injury in the inflammatory myopathies should lead to the development of more specific forms of immunotherapy for these conditions.

Inflammatory myopathies: how to treat the difficult cases

The initial approach to the treatment of patients with inflammatory myopathy is critical in determining the subsequent course and outcome. Prolonged administration of high doses of corticosteroids should be avoided and a second-line agent such as methotrexate or azathioprine should be introduced earlier rather than later. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy has an important place if the myositis remains active, particularly in patients with dermatomyositis, and is the treatment of choice in patients with immunodeficiency who are not controlled by corticosteroids. In more resistant cases of polymyositis or dermatomyositis it may be necessary to use cyclophosphamide, cyclosporin or the promising newer immunosuppressive agents mycophenolate mofetil or tacrolimus to achieve disease control. The treatment of inclusion body myositis remains unsatisfactory but a trial of prednisolone and methotrexate is warranted in selected patients.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: management and prognosis

We are entering an exciting era in our understanding and management of the connective tissue diseases and, in particular, inflammatory myopathy. There is an established array of immunosuppressive regimens available to clinicians; rehabilitative and physical therapeutic interventions are evolving to provide many nonpharmacologic options to complement current therapy. Our ability to quantify [table: see text] the disease burden, using newly developed tools to distinguish myositis disease activity from disease damage, will allow us to measure with greater sensitivity the effects of treatment interventions. These measures, together with the development of international consensus regarding the standardization of many clinical trial design parameters, will enhance our capacity to conduct well-designed, prospective, multicenter studies of established and newly developed therapies. The explosion of immunopathogenetic information, in conjunction with novel biologic agents (Table 4), will afford investigators a treatment menu with multiple therapeutic options. The continuing challenge for the practitioner is the development of a logical, well-studied, multifaceted, and multidisciplinary holistic approach that optimizes the risk: benefit ratio for each individual patient and uses a rational combination of immunomodulatory agents in conjunction with ancillary measures.

Results and long-term followup of intravenous immunoglobulin infusions in chronic, refractory polymyositis: an open study with thirty-five adult patients

OBJECTIVE

Polymyositis is a rare inflammatory muscular disease of unknown cause. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs are the first choice of therapy but are not always effective and may cause serious side effects. Many studies have shown that polyvalent intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may be of interest for the treatment of dermatomyositis. We carried out an open, prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of IVIG in subjects with polymyositis that was refractory to traditional treatments, and we evaluated the benefits of this therapy over a long-term period of followup.

METHODS

Thirty-five adult white patients (20 female, 15 male, mean age 43.5 years [SD 16.8]) with chronic, refractory polymyositis were treated with high doses of IVIG, after the patients had received the following traditional treatments: prednisone (n = 35), methotrexate (n = 24), azathioprine (n = 13), cyclophosphamide (n = 4), cyclosporine (n = 7), chlorambucil (n = 1), plasmapheresis (n = 8), lymphopheresis (n = 1), and total body irradiation (n = 1). There had been no changes in the patients' treatment in the 2 months before the initiation of IVIG therapy, and doses were not increased during IVIG treatment. We used preparations of polyvalent human IVIG with increased concentrations of intact IgG. The patients received 1 gm/kg/day for 2 consecutive days per month. The mean course of treatment was 4-6 months. The clinical assessment involved the evaluation of proximal muscle power, muscle disability scale score, and esophageal disorders. The biochemical evaluations carried out before each treatment period were compared by Student's t-test and nonparametric Wilcoxon test. Results were considered to be significant at P = 0.05.

RESULTS

In the short-term, significant clinical improvement was noted in 25 of the 35 patients (71.4%). Mean muscle power was estimated before and after IVIG therapy and was found to be significantly improved (P < 0.01). All patients had a significant biochemical response. Mean creatine kinase levels during IVIG therapy decreased significantly before the fourth IVIG perfusion (P < 0.01). Side effects, usually minor, were noted in 6 patients. This benefit allowed the initial prednisone dose to be reduced by >50% in all patients. The mean (+/- SD) followup time for the 25 patients who responded favorably to IVIG treatment was 51.4 +/- 13.1 months. Twelve of these 25 patients remained in full remission following their initial course of IVIG, resulting in complete stoppage of medication in 5 patients or low doses of steroids in 7 patients. The condition of 6 patients remained improved and no other drugs were prescribed, but the patients remained dependent on IVIG infusions. Seven of the 25 patients who responded well to IVIG treatment relapsed at an average of 17.1 months (range 4-23 months) after the discontinuation of IVIG.

CONCLUSION

IVIG is an interesting therapy for the treatment of polymyositis, with results showing that the condition of approximately 70% of the patients tested improved. After the discontinuation of the IVIG therapy, the efficacy remained stable in 50% of the patients, with a followup of over 3 years.

Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is one of the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies with characteristic cutaneous manifestations including the heliotrope rash, Gottron's papules, cuticular changes including periungual telangiectasia, a photodistributed erythema or poikiloderma, and a scaly alopecia. Dermatomyositis has been linked to cancer, particularly ovarian cancer. Cancer-associated disease is more commonly found in older patients, and when present, is associated with a poor prognosis. A childhood form of the disease exists and is frequently complicated by the development of calcinosis. Dermatomyositis is a systemic disorder and whereas the skin and muscles are the most commonly affected organs, patients may have arthralgias, arthritis, oesophageal disease, or cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Recently described serological abnormalities, known as myositis-specific antibodies, add credence to the notion that this disorder is distinct from all other collagen-vascular diseases, and may lead to important discoveries about the pathogenesis of the inflammatory myopathies, which are not currently of practical use in the clinic or office. Management of the patient with myositis usually includes systemic corticosteroids with or without an immunosuppressive agent. Cutaneous disease is more difficult to manage, but antimalarials, methotrexate, and intravenous immunoglobulin are effective in small, often open-label, studies.