Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammation of the skin and underlying muscle tissue.
Common symptoms are distinctive skin rash, muscle weakness, and pain in the affected joint or muscle.
The symptoms of this condition can be treated, but there is no known cure.
Symptoms
In most cases, the first symptom is usually a distinctive skin rash on the affected area which could be the face, eyelids, chest, nail cuticle areas, knuckles, knees, or elbows.
The rash is patchy and usually a bluish-purple color.
A rash on the chest is called the ‘shawl sign’ because it appears in a shawl-like pattern while the one on the hands is called ‘mechanic’s hands’ because it makes the skin appear rough and dirty.
You can also experience muscle weakness that worsens for weeks or months.
You might experience other symptoms like muscle tenderness, muscle pain, difficulty swallowing, lung problems, fatigue, fever, and unintentional weight loss
Causes
The exact cause of dermatomyositis is unknown. It is however similar to an autoimmune disease.
Having a weak immune system may also increase your risk of getting the illness.
For example, having cancer or a viral infection may weaken your immune system and lead to dermatomyositis.
Risk factors
Anyone can develop dermatomyositis but it is most common in adults between the ages of 40 and 60 and children between the ages of 5 and 15.
Women are also more prone to getting this disease than men.
Diagnosis of dermatomyositis
It is easier to diagnose dermatomyositis because of the autoimmune rash associated with it.
Your doctor will ask about the symptoms you feel and your medical history.
A physical examination will also be performed.
Your doctor may also perform other tests like:
An MRI to look for abnormal muscles
Electromyography to record electrical impulses that control your muscles
A blood test to determine the number of muscle enzymes and autoantibodies in your system.
A muscle biopsy to look for inflammation and other problems associated with the disease
Or a skin biopsy to look for changes caused by the disease in a skin sample.
Treatment
There’s no cure for dermatomyositis but treatment can improve the condition of your skin and muscle weakness.
Treatments include medication, physical therapy, and surgery.
In the majority of cases, corticosteroid medications like prednisone are the primary method of treatment.
You can take them orally or apply them to your skin. They lower the response of your immune system thereby reducing the number of inflammation-causing antibodies.
Your doctor might also prescribe Intravenous immunoglobulin.
It consists of a mixture of antibodies that have been collected from thousands of healthy people who have donated their blood.
Since your body is producing antibodies that target your skin and muscles, Intravenous immunoglobulin uses healthy antibodies to block these antibodies.
Additional treatment includes physical therapy that improves and preserves your muscle strength
An antimalarial medication for a persistent autoimmune rash, like hydroxychloroquine
Surgery to remove calcium deposits and medications to help with the pain.
Complications
The problems linked with dermatomyositis can cause several problems like lung infections, gastric ulcers, difficulty breathing, skin ulcers, problems swallowing, malnutrition, and weight loss
Dermatomyositis can also be associated with conditions like myocarditis, interstitial lung disease, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and other connective tissue diseases
