Thursday, February 28th
Continuing my search for information...
Although DM causes pain and weakness, it is not necessarily life threatening. However, adults who develop DM have an increased risk of developing cancer and should be screened for malignancies regularly...
Over time, the immune system cells attack healthy cells of small blood vessels in muscles and skin causing muscle fiber to shrink and sometimes cuts off blood supply to the muscle. DM tends to develop in muscles closest to the center of the body...
Often the first sign of DM is the development of a patchy, scaly, violet to dark red skin rash on the face, neck, shoulders, upper chest, knees, or back. Often the rash appears before any signs of illness or muscle weakness...
Muscle weakness, especially in the upper arms, hips, thighs, and neck, becomes apparent in activities such as climbing stairs or reaching up over the head. This weakness develops after the rash appears. Some people have difficulty swallowing and chewing when the muscles of the face and esophagus are affected. Individuals may also feel tried, weak, have a low-grade fever, weight loss, and joint stiffness...
Treatment
The goal of treatment is to improve muscle strength and allow the individual to participate in normal daily activities. Individuals are given steroid drugs (prednisone, corticosteroids) that suppress the immune system...
Over time, these drugs often produce undesirable side effects, so treatment is usually begun with a large dose, then tapered to the minimum dose needed for maintenance. People who do not respond well to steroid treatment may be treated with other immunosuppressive drugs or intravenous immunoglobulin...
Individuals with DM are advised to avoid exposure to the sun, as sunlight worsens the skin rash. Physical therapy is often helpful in keeping joints from stiffening and freezing. Moderate exercise is also recommended...
Alternative treatment
A healthy diet high is recommended for all individuals with supplemental protein for those with severe muscle damage...
Prognosis
The majority of people continue to have some symptoms and require long-term treatment, but their degree of daily activity varies greatly...
Serious complications from DM include involvement of the muscles of the heart and lungs, difficulty eating and swallowing, and a tendency to develop cancer...
Definition of DM in a variety of medical books...
dermatomyositis /der·ma·to·myo·si·tis/ (-mi″o-si´tis) a collagen disease marked by nonsuppurative inflammation of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles, with necrosis of muscle fibers.
der·ma·to·my·o·si·tis (dûrm-t-m-sts)
n.
A progressive inflammatory condition characterized by muscular weakness, a skin rash, and edema of the eyelids and periorbital tissue.
dermatomyositis
[dur′mətōmī′ōsī′tis]
Etymology: Gk, derma + mys, muscle, itis, inflammation
a disease of the connective tissues, characterized by pruritic or eczematous inflammation of the skin and tenderness and weakness of the muscles. Muscle tissue is destroyed, and loss is often so severe that the person may become unable to walk or to perform simple tasks. Swelling of the eyelids and face and loss of weight are common manifestations. The cause is unknown, but in 15% of cases the condition develops with an internal malignancy. Viral infection and antibacterial medication are also associated with an increased incidence of dermatomyositis. Treatment of this disease may include prescription of prednisone; immunosuppressants may be used in cases that are unresponsive to prednisone. In order to prevent muscle wasting and preserve muscle function, physical therapy is required. Most cases respond to therapy, although the disease is usually more severe and treatment resistant in patients with pulmonary or cardiac issues...
dermatomyositis [der″mah-to-mi″o-si´tis]
an acute, subacute, or chronic disease marked by nonsuppurative inflammation of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles, with necrosis of muscle fibers. It is in the group of illnesses known as collagen diseases. Among a variety of symptoms that point to the onset of the disease are fever, loss of weight, skin lesions, and aching muscles. As the disease progresses there may be loss of the use of the arms and legs. Complications such as hardening may occur, similar to the changes seen in scleroderma. Occasionally steroids prove helpful in relieving symptoms, but the most beneficial treatment is physical therapy to maintain maximal use of the muscles.
dermatomyositis (dur´mtōmī´-ōsī´tis),
n (polymyositis, dermatomucosomyositis) a form of collagen disease related to scleroderma and lupus erythematosus. The skin lesions are diffuse erythematous desquamations or rashlike lesions. The skin symptoms are related to a variety of patterns of myositis.
dermatomyositis
an acute, subacute or chronic disease of humans, marked by nonsuppurative inflammation of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and muscles, with necrosis of muscle fibers.
canine familial dermatomyositis
an inherited disease found mainly in Collies and Shetland sheepdogs. Starting at a young age, there is hair loss, alopecia, scaling, crusting and sometimes ulceration on the face, ear tips, pressure areas over the carpus and tarsus, and the tail. Myositis may be severe, causing a stiff gait, difficulty in chewing and atrophy, or be unrecognized except by biopsy.
dermatomyositis
A collagen vascular disease caused by complement-mediated microangiopathic muscle fiber destruction, leading to loss of capillaries, muscle ischemia and necrosis and perifascicular atrophy Clinical Patches of reddish or scaly rash on bridge of nose, sun-exposed areas of neck, chest, dorsal hands, periorbital edema Risk of cancer ↑ Management Azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, MTX, and prednisone are generally unsuccessful; high-dose IV Ig may ↑ muscle strength and ↓ neuromuscular symptoms in refractory dermatomyositis. See Polymyositis, Scleroderma.
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