What is Dermatopolymyositis?

Overview. 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.

What are the first signs of polymyositis?

The common symptoms of polymyositis include:

  • Muscle pain and stiffness.
  • Muscle weakness, particularly in the belly (abdomen), shoulders, upper arms, and hips.
  • Joint pain and stiffness.
  • Trouble catching your breath.
  • Problems with swallowing.
  • Irregular heart rhythms, if the heart muscle becomes inflamed.

When should you suspect dermatomyositis?

When to suspect the diagnosis — The diagnosis of dermatomyositis (DM) or polymyositis (PM) should be suspected in patients who present with proximal muscle weakness. The suspicion for DM in particular should be further increased if the patient has a cutaneous eruption suggestive of DM.

How do you rule out polymyositis?

Diagnosis

  1. Blood tests. A blood test will let your doctor know if you have elevated levels of muscle enzymes, which can indicate muscle damage.
  2. Electromyography. This test involves inserting a thin needle electrode through the skin into the muscle.
  3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  4. Muscle biopsy.

What are the symptoms of myositis?

Symptoms

  • Difficulty standing up from a seated position.
  • Difficulty climbing stairs.
  • Difficulty lifting the arms.
  • Fatigue after standing or walking a long time.
  • Trouble swallowing or breathing.
  • Muscle pain that does not subside within a few weeks.
  • A red or purple colored rash on the eyelids, elbows, knees and knuckles.

What can be mistaken for dermatomyositis?

Many skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema and verrucae vulgaris can mimic the characteristic Gottron’s papules of dermatomyositis, and allergies can mimic the heliotrope rash.

What blood tests indicate dermatomyositis?

Dermatomyositis is usually diagnosed with blood tests and biopsies of your skin and muscles. Your provider will test your blood for: Increased amounts of specific muscle enzymes that means something is damaging them. Autoantibodies (cells that show your immune system is reacting to something it detects as harmful).

What does polymyositis pain feel like?

muscle weakness. aching or painful muscles and feeling very tired. finding it hard to sit up, or stand after a fall. swallowing problems, or finding it hard to hold your head up.

What blood test shows polymyositis?

After a careful history and physical exam to document the pattern of weakness in muscles, a doctor who suspects myositis likely will order a blood test to check the level of creatine kinase (CK), an enzyme that leaks out of muscle fibers when the fibers are being damaged. In PM, the CK level is usually very high.