title: Clinical heterogeneity and treatment response in inclusion body myositis.
abstract: Inclusion body myositis has been described as an inflammatory myopathy with distinctive clinical and pathologic features that is refractory to treatment. Ten cases of inclusion body myositis, as defined by histopathologic findings, were reviewed to determine whether the clinical characteristics are different in patients whose disease has been defined by light and electron microscopic studies compared with those whose disease has been defined by light microscopic studies alone. The clinical characteristics of both groups of patients were similar, and 2 patients have had excellent responses to treatment. Although inclusion body myositis represents a histologic subset of polymyositis, from a clinical perspective, it must be considered a nonspecific designation. Despite a generally poor prognosis, therapeutic intervention is still warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Garancis
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wortmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009220:Myositis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone