[An autopsy case of dermatomyositis with rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia]

An autopsy case of dermatomyositis with rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia is reported. a 48-year-old woman was admitted because of facial edematous erythema and muscular weakness. A diagnosis of dermatomyositis was made because of typical erythema and myogenic pattern of EMG, although serum creatine kinase was within normal range. The chest X-ray film showed that interstitial pneumonia was complicated. She was treated with prednisolone of 60 mg/day. Although erythema and althralgia was improved remarkably, interstitial pneumonia was progressed unfavorably. Therefore pulse therapy with methylprednisolone was administered twice, but failed to respond. After that interstitial pneumonia was progressed rapidly, she was died of respiratory failure. The autopsy findings detected that a degeneration and necrosis of striated muscular fibers in whole body, that a mixed findings of usual interstitial pneumonia and diffuse alveolar damage in the lung. Vasculitis and fiblinous pleuritis was also found in the lung. Malignancy was not detected.