Dermatomyositis clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects
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Abstract
Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by different skin features and variable muscle involvement. DM is usually classified in four main variants: classic DM, amyopathic DM, paraneoplastic DM, and juvenile DM.
Clinically, patients show different skin features, including heliotrope rash and Gottron’s papules. Furthermore, patients can show muscle involvement, usually a symmetrical weakness of the proximal muscles. In addition, DM belongs to the facultative paraneoplastic dermatoses and therefore several solid or hematologic malignancies can be detected in DM patients.
Serologically, a wide range of autoantibodies can be detected in patients with DM. Indeed, distinct serotypes can be related to specific clinical features, different risk for systemic involvement, and variable response to therapies. Systemic corticosteroids are still considered the first-line therapy, but several steroid-sparing agents, such as methotrexate, azathioprine, or mycophenolate mofetil, have been reported as effective in treating DM.
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References
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