Dermatomyositis

Acute

What is Dermatomyositis?

Dermatomyositis (dur-muh-toe-my-uh-SY-tis) is an uncommon inflammatory disease marked by muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash. The condition can affect adults and children. In adults, dermatomyositis usually occurs in the late 40s to early 60s. In children, it most often appears between 5 and 15 years of age.

  • Muscle weakness, stiffness, or soreness.
  • Problems swallowing.
  • Purple color to the upper eyelids.
  • Purple-red skin rash.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Difficulty swallowing.
  • Raynaud's phenomenon. This condition causes your fingers, toes, cheeks, nose, and ears to turn pale when exposed to cold temperatures.
  • Other connective tissue diseases.
  • Cardiovascular disease.
  • Lung disease.
  • Cancer.
  • Abnormal genes you are born with.
  • Cancer, especially in older people.
  • Autoimmune disease, a type of illness that causes the body's immune system to attack its own tissues.
  • An infection, medication, or another exposure in your environment that triggers the disease.
  • Genetic Factors.
  • Immunologic Factors.
  • Infections.
  • Drugs.
  • Radiation.

You may need to avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen to help prevent skin rashes. Your health care provider can treat itchy skin rashes with antihistamine drugs or with anti-inflammatory steroid creams that are applied to the skin.

How is it diagnosed?

How is it diagnosed?

The two most common medications for dermatomyositis are azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) and methotrexate (Trexall). Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept) is another medication used to treat dermatomyositis, particularly if the lungs are involved.

How is it treated?

Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia is vital. It varies with the patient and stage of the disease. Treatment options include

  • Skin biopsy.
  • Muscle biopsy (open or via a needle): Findings can be diagnostic (perivascular and interfascicular inflammatory infiltrates with adjoining groups of muscle fiber degeneration/regeneration).

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