Polymyositis--a review and follow up study of 24 cases

Twenty-four cases of polymyositis, 3 (12.5%) of them Dermatomyositis, have been treated and followed up for over 12 years. Majority (75%) were males. Inflammatory lesion was the cause in 18 (75%), collagen disease in 4 (16.7%) and malignancy in 2 (8.35%). Presenting features were fever (100%), proximal muscle weakness (95.8%) and tenderness (54.2%), facial and respiratory muscle weakness (4.2%). Raised CPK and transaminases, electromyogram abnormality and positive muscle biopsy were recorded in all. All were treated with steroids. Complication/associations noted were arthalgia (25%), dysphagia (20.6%), peripheral neuritis (8.35%), diabetes mellitus (4.2%), pulmonary fibrosis (4.2%) and malabsorption (4.2%). Fourteen cases (58%), all of inflammatory aetiology, recovered completely. Seven cases (29.2%) developed permanent atrophy of affected muscles. Cases with collagen disease and malignancy fared worse and deteriorated because of the primary disease.