title: Polymyositis--a review and follow up study of 24 cases.
abstract: Twenty-four cases of polymyositis, 3 (12.5%) of them Dermatomyositis, have been treated and followed up for over 12 years. Majority (75%) were males. Inflammatory lesion was the cause in 18 (75%), collagen disease in 4 (16.7%) and malignancy in 2 (8.35%). Presenting features were fever (100%), proximal muscle weakness (95.8%) and tenderness (54.2%), facial and respiratory muscle weakness (4.2%). Raised CPK and transaminases, electromyogram abnormality and positive muscle biopsy were recorded in all. All were treated with steroids. Complication/associations noted were arthalgia (25%), dysphagia (20.6%), peripheral neuritis (8.35%), diabetes mellitus (4.2%), pulmonary fibrosis (4.2%) and malabsorption (4.2%). Fourteen cases (58%), all of inflammatory aetiology, recovered completely. Seven cases (29.2%) developed permanent atrophy of affected muscles. Cases with collagen disease and malignancy fared worse and deteriorated because of the primary disease.
authors.affiliation: Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Narayanaswamy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Lazar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003906:Developing Countries; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology