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Polymyositis-dermatomyositis: a clinical review

1989; Oxford University Press; Volume: 65; Issue: 765 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1136/pgmj.65.765.437

1469-0756

Kenneth Strauss, H González-Buriticá, Munther A. Khamashta, G. R. V. Hughes,

Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are characterized by chronic inflammation of skeletal muscle and are manifested, in their classic presentation, by proximal muscle weakness accompanied by elevations of the serum creatine kinase (CK) typical electromyography (EMG) changes with polyphasic potentials and muscle biopsy findings of a necrotizing, inflammatory process.' DM is distinguished from PM by a typical rash, usually red, scaly and plaque-like, over the knuckles, wrists, elbows, knees and ankle malleoli and violaceous lesions in the periorbital and trunk area.2 Most authors, however, consider DM and PM together since the disease course and muscle lesions are the same, whether skin lesions are present or not.3 These diseases are of unknown aetiology and reltively rare but have been associated with a host of inciting agents, from infections4 to vaccines5 to malignancies' and involve a multitude of immunological abnormalities.7 The classification scheme popularized by Bohan et al.8'9 and modified by Whitaker4 appears in Table I. This review concentrates on types I, II, III and V.