title: Correlation between tests of muscle involvement and clinical muscle weakness in polymyositis and dermatomyositis.
abstract: A correlation study was performed on the degree of muscle weakness in 36 patients with dermatomyositis and 69 with polymyositis in relation to muscle biopsy findings, electromyography (EMG) abnormalities, and serum concentrations of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzymes. Statistically significant correlations were found between muscle weakness and EMG results in patients with polymyositis, and between muscle weakness and serum CK and AST levels in dermatomyositis. As expected, correlations were found between the results of the three enzyme determinations in both groups of patients.
authors.affiliation: Florance and Cope Professorial Department of Rheumatology, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Tymms
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Beller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schrieber
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Buchanan
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009220:Myositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase