title: Polymyositis: response to vitamin E.
abstract: A 70-year-old woman with polymyositis was treated with three different immunosuppressive drugs. Her condition deteriorated over a three-month period until she became totally helpness. She then made a dramatic improvement when large doses of vitamin E (d, alpha-tocopheryl acetate) were administered. Current knowledge regarding the nature of polymyositis and the rationale for using vitamin E to treat it are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000188:drug therapy; D009220:Myositis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase; D011241:Prednisone