Amyopathic dermatomyositis (dermatomyositis siné myositis). Presentation of six new cases and review of the literature. 1991

R L Euwer, and R D Sontheimer
Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235.

We report six patients with the classic cutaneous findings of dermatomyositis who did not develop clinical or laboratory evidence of muscle disease for at least 2 years after onset of their skin manifestations. Such patients represent 11% of our total experience with dermatomyositis patients during a 15 year period. All six patients had Gottron's paules, periungual erythema/telangiectasia, and violaceous discoloration of the face, neck, upper chest, and back at some time during the course of their disease. In addition, all complained of pruritus and photosensitivity. None of the patients had evidence of malignancy. Each of five patients treated with oral corticosteroids for their cutaneous disease had marked improvement and did not develop myositis. These cases further emphasize that the cutaneous manifestations of dermatomyositis are pathognomonic of this disease and challenge the commonly held notion that muscle disease always develops within 2 years of onset of skin disease.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009220 Myositis Inflammation of a muscle or muscle tissue. Inflammatory Myopathy,Myositis, Focal,Myositis, Infectious,Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies,Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy,Idiopathic Inflammatory Myositis,Infectious Myositis,Inflammatory Muscle Diseases,Inflammatory Myopathies, Idiopathic,Inflammatory Myopathy, Idiopathic,Muscle Diseases, Inflammatory,Myopathies, Idiopathic Inflammatory,Myopathy, Inflammatory,Myositis, Proliferative,Focal Myositides,Focal Myositis,Infectious Myositides,Inflammatory Muscle Disease,Inflammatory Myopathies,Muscle Disease, Inflammatory,Myopathies, Inflammatory,Myopathy, Idiopathic Inflammatory,Myositides,Myositides, Focal,Myositides, Infectious,Myositides, Proliferative,Proliferative Myositides,Proliferative Myositis
D010787 Photosensitivity Disorders Abnormal responses to sunlight or artificial light due to extreme reactivity of light-absorbing molecules in tissues. It refers almost exclusively to skin photosensitivity, including sunburn, reactions due to repeated prolonged exposure in the absence of photosensitizing factors, and reactions requiring photosensitizing factors such as photosensitizing agents and certain diseases. With restricted reference to skin tissue, it does not include photosensitivity of the eye to light, as in photophobia or photosensitive epilepsy. Actinic Reticuloid Syndrome,Dermatitis, Actinic,Photodermatitis,Chronic Actinic Dermatitis,Photosensitization,Actinic Dermatitides,Actinic Dermatitides, Chronic,Actinic Dermatitis,Actinic Dermatitis, Chronic,Actinic Reticuloid Syndromes,Chronic Actinic Dermatitides,Dermatitides, Actinic,Dermatitides, Chronic Actinic,Dermatitis, Chronic Actinic,Disorder, Photosensitivity,Disorders, Photosensitivity,Photodermatitides,Photosensitivity Disorder,Reticuloid Syndrome, Actinic,Reticuloid Syndromes, Actinic,Syndrome, Actinic Reticuloid,Syndromes, Actinic Reticuloid
D011241 Prednisone A synthetic anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid derived from CORTISONE. It is biologically inert and converted to PREDNISOLONE in the liver. Dehydrocortisone,delta-Cortisone,Apo-Prednisone,Cortan,Cortancyl,Cutason,Dacortin,Decortin,Decortisyl,Deltasone,Encorton,Encortone,Enkortolon,Kortancyl,Liquid Pred,Meticorten,Orasone,Panafcort,Panasol,Predni Tablinen,Prednidib,Predniment,Prednison Acsis,Prednison Galen,Prednison Hexal,Pronisone,Rectodelt,Sone,Sterapred,Ultracorten,Winpred,Acsis, Prednison
D011537 Pruritus An intense itching sensation that produces the urge to rub or scratch the skin to obtain relief. Itching,Pruritis
D003882 Dermatomyositis A subacute or chronic inflammatory disease of muscle and skin, marked by proximal muscle weakness and a characteristic skin rash. The illness occurs with approximately equal frequency in children and adults. The skin lesions usually take the form of a purplish rash (or less often an exfoliative dermatitis) involving the nose, cheeks, forehead, upper trunk, and arms. The disease is associated with a complement mediated intramuscular microangiopathy, leading to loss of capillaries, muscle ischemia, muscle-fiber necrosis, and perifascicular atrophy. The childhood form of this disease tends to evolve into a systemic vasculitis. Dermatomyositis may occur in association with malignant neoplasms. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1405-6) Polymyositis-Dermatomyositis,Dermatomyositis, Adult Type,Dermatomyositis, Childhood Type,Dermatopolymyositis,Juvenile Dermatomyositis,Juvenile Myositis,Adult Type Dermatomyositis,Childhood Type Dermatomyositis,Dermatomyositis, Juvenile,Myositis, Juvenile,Polymyositis Dermatomyositis
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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