Dermatomyositis Treatment & Management
- Author: Jeffrey P Callen, MD; Chief Editor: Herbert S Diamond, MD more...
Approach Considerations
Therapy for dermatomyositis involves both general measures and specific measures to control the muscle disease and the skin disease. In addition, some patients with dermatomyositis need treatment for other systemic manifestations or complications.
The muscle component is treated by administering corticosteroids, with or without an immunosuppressive agent. The skin disease is treated by avoiding sun exposure and by using sunscreens, topical corticosteroids, antimalarial agents,[27] or an agent such as methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil.
Surgical care is usually unnecessary in the management of dermatomyositis. Some patients may request surgical removal of local areas of calcinosis. Inpatient care is needed for patients with fulminant dermatomyositis.
Children and adolescents are much more prone to the development of calcinosis. Aggressive and early treatment may prevent this complication.
General Measures
Several general measures are helpful in the care of patients with dermatomyositis. Bed rest is often valuable for those with severe inflammation of the muscles.
In patients with muscle weakness, especially children, a program of physical therapy is useful to help prevent the contractures that can complicate the disease when patients do not fully move their joints.
For patients with dysphagia, elevating the head of their bed and having them avoid eating prior to bedtime are helpful. These simple maneuvers may prevent aspiration pneumonitis. Occasionally, nasogastric tube feeding is needed to increase caloric input.
Treatment of Muscle Disease
The mainstay of therapy for the muscle disease is systemically administered corticosteroids.[28, 29, 30] Traditionally, prednisone (0.5-2 mg/kg/d) up to a dose of 60 mg/d is given as initial therapy. The drug should be slowly tapered to avoid relapse of the disease. Because most patients develop steroid-related toxic effects, many authorities administer an immunosuppressive or cytotoxic agent early in the course.[31]
The use of drugs such as methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, leflunomide, and chlorambucil has been reported to be steroid-sparing in some patients or in small open-label studies.[32] [33, 34, 35] Results with cyclophosphamide in severe cases have been disappointing.
For conditions that do not improve, the use of monthly high-dose intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) for 6 months has proved beneficial in the short term.[36, 37] In addition to its positive effects on refractory muscle and skin disease, IVIG has been reported to be beneficial for other systemic manifestations, including severe esophageal dysfunction.[38] One report suggested that rituximab, a chimeric antibody directed against CD20+ B cells, may be effective.[12] However, other reports have failed to produce positive results for the skin.
Treatment of Skin Disease
Therapy of cutaneous disease of dermatomyositis is often difficult. Some patients with dermatomyositis present primarily with skin disease (ie, amyopathic dermatomyositis [ADM]), whereas others present with a muscle component that is controlled but with significant ongoing skin disease.
First-line therapy is to recognize that the patient is photosensitive and to prescribe sun avoidance and sun protection measures, including broad-spectrum sunscreens. The cutaneous component of dermatomyositis is exacerbated by sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light; in addition, the muscle component may be exacerbated.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have been beneficial in small, open-label case studies;[39, 40] however, roughly 25-30% of patients with dermatomyositis who are treated with an antimalarial agent develop a drug eruption.[39]
Methotrexate is useful.[41] Mycophenolate mofetil has been reported to be useful as well.[32, 42, 43, 44, 45] Sirolimus may also be of value in some patients.[46] In addition, small case series or individual reports of successful management with leflunomide have recently appeared in the literature.[35]
IVIG not only benefits the muscle but also clears the skin lesions in the patients in whom it is used. Rituximab has been used for skin disease, but the results are mixed.[13]
Management of Calcinosis
Calcinosis, a complication of dermatomyositis, is particularly likely to affect children and adolescents. Some believe that aggressive early treatment of the myositis may aid in preventing calcinosis. Once established, the process of calcinosis is debilitating in many patients. Although spontaneous remission is possible, it often takes many years to occur.
The use of the calcium channel blocker diltiazem (240 mg bid) is reportedly associated with gradual resolution of calcinosis in a small number of cases.[47] In addition, the use of an oral bisphosphonate might be helpful.[48] Intravenous (IV) pamidronate has been demonstrated in several cases to result in resolution of the calcinosis.[49] Colchicine, alendronate, and warfarin appear to be potentially beneficial for the resolution of calcinosis, though the data are not conclusive.
Diet and Activity
A well-balanced diet is useful. Patients with severe muscle inflammation may need extra protein to balance their loss. Patients with dysphagia should avoid eating before bedtime; they may require a special diet, depending on the severity of the esophageal dysfunction.
Activity should be maintained as much as possible in patients with dermatomyositis; however, avoid vigorous physical training should be avoided when the myositis is active. Exercises to maintain the patient’s range of motion are advised. Sun avoidance and sun protection measures are recommended in patients with skin lesions.
Consultations
Consultations may be indicated with the following:
- Rheumatologist
- Dermatologist
- Neurologist
- Medical or surgical oncologist (for patients with cancer)
- Internal medicine specialist or pediatrician (depending on patient age)
- Pulmonologist
Patients with dermatomyositis may be served better by a physician or a team of physicians who have experience in managing this relatively rare disorder. Transfer to a tertiary center is often warranted for initial care and even for follow-up care.
Long-Term Monitoring
Disease activity must be monitored on at least a monthly basis. Repeat measurements of muscle enzymes may facilitate assessment of the activity of the myositis, along with clinical assessment of patients’ strength. Machines that can aid in the quantification of strength are available but are not used widely.
The skin component of dermatomyositis is assessed by means physical examination in conjunction with history taking. The Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI), the Dermatomyositis Skin Severity Index (DSSI), and the Cutaneous Assessment Tool (CAT) skin indices have been developed as outcome instruments. It appears that the CDASI may be a useful outcome measure for studies of cutaneous dermatomyositis; further testing to compare the responsiveness of all 3 measures is necessary.[50]
Annual physical examinations are useful to monitor for potential toxicity due to therapy or for the presence of a malignancy.
Malignancy evaluations should be conducted for at least the first 3 years after diagnosis. A report by Hill et al suggested that the risk of malignancy never returns to baseline, even after 3 years; thus, vigilance is still warranted.[5] Selection of testing should be based on the patient’s age, sex, race, and other symptoms or findings. Female patients with dermatomyositis should be screened for ovarian cancer. After 3 years, patients should be monitored in the same manner as any other person of their same age, race, and sex.
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