title: Anti-Jo-1 antibody positive polymyositis--successful therapy with leflunomide.
abstract: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IM), including dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM), are a group of systemic rheumatologic diseases of unknown etiology characterized by chronic myositis. Antisynthetase antibodies such as the anti-Jo-1 antibody are known to be highly specific for inflammatory myopathies. Patients with this antibody frequently show a combination of symptoms including interstitial lung disease, fever, polyarthritis, myositis, Raynaud's phenomenon and "mechanic's hands". In the management of PM with anti-Jo-1 antibody, immunosuppressive agents are used to control the disease. Leflunomide is a new immunosuppressive drug recently introduced in the treatment of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. Here, we report two cases of female patients with PM and anti-Jo-1 antibodies, who were successfully treated with leflunomide.
authors.affiliation: Kerckhoff Clinic, University of Giessen, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Bad Nauheim, Germany. u.lange@kerckhoff-klinik.de
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piegsa
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller-Ladner
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strunk
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D001168:Arthritis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008875:Middle Aged; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; C046750:Jo-1 antibody; D011239:Prednisolone; D000077339:Leflunomide; D001379:Azathioprine