Dermatomyositis
Dermatomyositis Causes
Although there is not a deep explaination of the cause of this disease, several theories have surfaced. One theory points on the immune reaction of our system to any unidentified virus or an autoimmune disorder may have triggered it, while another theory suggests that it is brought about by aging muscles causing the build up of pathogenic proteins in the myofiber.
Dermatomyositis Definition
Dermatomyosis is a disease of the connective tissues associated with muscles and skin inflammation. Juvenile dermatomyositis affects young children often associated with pink patches in the knuckles, abnormal and painful erection of the penis that can last for a long period of time, and groton's papules. It is one type of autoimmune disease of the connective tissue which is related to polymyositis characterized by many inflammations of the muscles, and the related disease that attacks the arm and leg muscles called Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis.
Dermatomyositis Diagnosis
The best diagnostic test to run for a patient is a muscle biopsy which is done by removing a muscle tissue and evaluating it. It involves close examination of the muscle fibers appearance. Other methods include clinical signs and testings wherein blood tests are run to measure the level of creatine kinase, an enzyme that is produced when muscles are destroyed. Clinical signs also includes frequent tipping or falling due to weakening of the muscle tissues.
Dermatomyositis Symptoms and Signs
Patients suffering from this disease often manifest symptoms such as rashes on different parts of the body and muscular pains. Patients also manifest the Shawl sign that is a lesion over the chest towards the shoulders, Erythroderma which is like the shawl sign bu occurs in other parts of the body like the forehead. Some also shows signs of rough hands otherwise known as the mechanics hands with cracked skin at the tip of the fingers and its lateral parts that forms dirty lines.
Dermatomyositis Treatment
The use of some immunotherapeutic agents like methotrexate, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, azathioprine, total lymphoid irradiation, and cyclophosphamide has been administered and proven to be effective but not in the long term. A new treatment has now been developed to treat this disease. These treatments are chemicals developed from proteins derived from the cell. Another study also focuses on a new treatment that utilizes an agent that helps improve muscle stength of the patients. This agent is called Campath.