Bone Health in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: Diagnosis and Management

This article provides an update on the most recent advances in epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic procedures, and therapeutic approaches for myositis-associated bone diseases, such as osteoporosis and bone fractures.

In the recent years, several studies showed that osteoporosis and consequent fractures are a common and frequently underestimated complication in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). In younger patients, asymptomatic fractures might present in the early phase of the disease which could increase the risk of development of further fractures. High-risk patients could be selected with early application of combined diagnostic procedures, such as fracture risk scores with steroid dose adjustments and imaging. Recent advances might help clinicians from different fields of medicine in the early recognition and management of myositis-associated osteoporosis, which will potentially improve the quality of life of patients with IIM.