title: [Relapses in inflammatory myopathies].
abstract: Most studies about treatment of inflammatory myopathies consist of cross-sectional analyses that do not assess long-term efficacy. In the present study we describe the follow-up of seven patients with inflammatory myopathies, 5 polymyositis and 2 dermatomyositis. We describe their clinical features, follow-up, muscle enzyme levels, and treatment responses. We define the latter as treatment cycles, every one of which end when steroid doses need to be increased or a new immunosuppressive drug has to be added because of clinical worsening or sustained increases in muscle enzyme levels. Treatment can cause remission, partially control, or fail in achieving myositis improvement when it normalizes, stabilizes, or does not affect muscle enzymes or clinical features, respectively. We analyzed 20 cycles, in which remission was achieved in 14 cases, partial control in 5 instances, and treatment failure in one case. Remission occurred after an average of 139 ± 98 days, whereas partial control took place in 160 ± 100 days. Except in one case, all treatment cycles controlled or remitted the symptoms. However, in all patients the illness recurred with time.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología Clínica, Buenos Aires, Argentina. E-mail: blas_larrauri@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Blas J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Larrauri
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología Clínica, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Diego S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Fernández Romero
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología Clínica, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Maria Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Juri
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología Clínica, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malbrán
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: dermatomyositis; inflammatory myopathy; polymiositis; recurrence