Dermatomyositis (patient information)

Jump to navigation Jump to search

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Dermatomyositis

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

When to seek urgent medical care?

Diagnosis

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Dermatomyositis?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Dermatomyositis On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Dermatomyositis

Videos on Dermatomyositis

FDA on Dermatomyositis

CDC on Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis in the news

Blogs on Dermatomyositis

Directions to Hospitals Treating Dermatomyositis

Risk calculators and risk factors for Dermatomyositis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Jinhui Wu, MD, Ujjwal Rastogi, MBBS [2]

Overview

Dermatomyositis is an uncommon inflammatory myopathy accompanied with a skin rash. The cause is unknown and researches suggest that it is associated with autoimmune disorders. Common signs and symptoms of dermatomyositis include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, purple-red skin rash, shortness of breath, fatigue and weight loss. Electromyography, even muscle biopsy or skin biopsy may help diagnose dermatomyositis. There is no cure for dermatomyositis. Medications and physical therapy may help relieve symptoms and maintain muscle strength. Prognosis of dermatomyositis varies from person to person. It depends on whether the patient appear severe complications.

What are the symptoms of Dermatomyositis?

Heliotrope rash (Dermatomyositis) Prox muscle weakness

The most common signs and symptoms of dermatomyositis include:


Diseases that can present with similar symptoms are

What causes Dermatomyositis?

Its an autoimmune disease who's actual cause is unknown.

Who is at highest risk?

The cause of dermatomyositis is unknown. Its more commonly found in women in extremes of age-group. Also presence of one connective tissue disorder or any other cancer makes you prone for it.

Diagnosis

  • Medical history and physical examination
  • Blood test: Blood tests such as creatine kinase (CK) and aldolase may help diagnose dematomyositis. Patients with dematomyositis may show increased CK and aldolase levels, indicating muscle damage.
  • Electromyography: During this procedure, the doctor inserts a thin needle electrode into the muscle and measure electrical activities when the patient relaxs or tightens the muscle.The doctor can identify a muscle disease by analysing these electrical activities.
  • Muscle biopsy: During this procedure, the doctor removes a small piece of muscle tissue surgically and detects in the pathological lab. Under microscope, tissues of patients with dermatomyositis may demonstrate that inflammatory cells surround and damage the capillary blood vessels in the muscle.
  • Muscle MRI: This image can detect subtle muscle inflammation and swelling early in the disease.
  • Skin biopsy: The goal of skin biopsy is to identify the diagnosis of dermatomyositis and rule out other disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus. During this procedure, the doctor removes a small piece of skin tissue surgically and detects in the pathological lab.

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if symptoms of dermatomyositis develop.

Treatment options

There is no cure for dermatomyositis. The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms.

  • General treatment
  • Keep a regular exercise to maintain your muscle strength.
  • Bedrest when you feel tied.
  • Avoid exposure to sunshine: Use suncream and protective clothing may prevent your rash worse.
  • Physical therapy: The physical therapist can make an exercise plan to help you maintain and improve muscle strength and flexibility.
  • Surgery: Surgery may be used to remove local areas of calcinosis.

Where to find medical care for Dermatomyositis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating dermatomyositis

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Prognosis of dermatomyositis varies from person to person. Some children with dermatomyositis may recover, while other adults may die of complications. It depends on:

Possible complications

It can have various complication depending upon the system involvement

  • Muscular Involvement present as difficulty swallowing, aspiration pneumonia,
  • Skin Involvement present as infections and calcinosis

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000839.htm

Template:WH Template:WS