[Pulmonary lesions in dermatomyositis. A retrospective study of 4 cases]

During a retrospective study of the records of 9 patients with dermatomyositis, pulmonary lesions were noted in 4 cases. Dermatomyositis had been diagnosed on clinical, biochemical, electrical and histopathological criteria. Patients with other connective tissue disease associated with dermatomyositis were excluded. In one case the pulmonary lesions preceded the clinical symptoms of dermatomyositis. Two patients had interstitial pneumonia and 2 presented with reticulonodular images suggestive of diffuse interstitial fibrosis. The outcome after corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressive therapy was favourable in 3 cases. It would appear from this study that clinical and radiological signs of pulmonary lesions and respiratory insufficiency are abnormally frequent in dermatomyositis and that the prognosis in such cases is perhaps brighter than is usually believed.