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Joint involvement in polymyositis/dermatomyositis
G Citera1, M A Gõni, J A Maldonado Cocco
1Rheumatology Department, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Abstract:
The frequency and features of joint involvement were evaluated in 29 patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM); eight of them (27.5%) presented arthritis. Mean age was 30 years, and mean disease duration was 5.3 years. Oligoarthritis was observed in 5 cases, while 3 presented polyarthritis; in most cases arthritis was concurrent with the musculocutaneous picture. On comparing the 8 arthritis patients with the remaining 21, no significant clinical or serological differences were found. However, males predominated in the arthritis group, 75% vs 19% (p < 0.05). Arthritis responded favourably to underlying disease treatment and articular sequelae were not observed.
Insights
Joint involvement, or arthritis, affects over a quarter of polymyositis/dermatomyositis patients. This arthritis typically presents with mild symptoms and responds well to treatment, with no lasting joint damage observed.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology and Immunology
- Myositis and Autoimmune Diseases
Background:
- Polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) are idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
- Joint involvement (arthritis) is a recognized, though not fully characterized, feature in some PM/DM patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of joint involvement in patients diagnosed with polymyositis/dermatomyositis.
- To compare patients with and without arthritis to identify any distinguishing features or associations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective evaluation of 29 patients diagnosed with polymyositis/dermatomyositis.
- Assessment of joint involvement, including type (oligoarthritis, polyarthritis) and timing relative to myositis symptoms.
- Comparison of clinical and serological data between patients with and without arthritis.
Main Results:
- Arthritis was present in 27.5% (8 out of 29) of the evaluated PM/DM patients.
- Arthritis was typically concurrent with muscle involvement and often presented as oligoarthritis.
- No significant clinical or serological differences were found between arthritis and non-arthritis groups, except for a male predominance in the arthritis group (75% vs 19%, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Joint involvement is a notable feature in a significant subset of polymyositis/dermatomyositis patients.
- Arthritis in PM/DM appears to be generally mild, responds well to treatment of the underlying myositis, and does not lead to articular sequelae.
- The male predominance in the arthritis subgroup warrants further investigation.