What is the most common form of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy in older adults?
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common form of inflammatory myopathy in people age 50 years and older and is characterized by slow, progressive muscle weakness and wasting over the course of months or years.
How rare is idiopathic inflammatory myopathy?
The incidence of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy is approximately 2 to 8 cases per million people each year. For unknown reasons, polymyositis and dermatomyositis are about twice as common in women as in men, while sporadic inclusion body myositis is more common in men.
What are the symptoms of inflammatory myopathy?
General symptoms of chronic inflammatory myopathy include slow but progressive muscle weakness that starts in the proximal muscles—those muscles closest to the trunk of the body. Other symptoms include fatigue after walking or standing, tripping or falling, and difficulty swallowing or breathing.
How is idiopathic inflammatory myopathy treated?
Prednisone is usually the initial treatment. There is no agreement on how prednisone should be administered and even less agreement about other agents. Inclusion body myositis, which now appears to be the most common (in adults), is unresponsive to immunosuppressive and immunomodulating therapies.
Is inflammatory myopathy curable?
The chronic inflammatory myopathies can’t be cured in most adults but many of the symptoms can be treated. Options include medication, physical therapy, and rest. Polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and necrotizing autoimmune nmyopathy are first treated with high doses of corticosteroid drugs such as prednisone.
Who treats idiopathic inflammatory myopathy?
Many new patients have difficulty finding health care practitioners who know about myositis. Patients with dermatomyositis, polymyositis, or necrotizing myopathy are usually treated by rheumatologists. Those with dermatomyositis may also work with a dermatologist. Those with IBM are often treated by neurologists.
How do I get rid of myopathy?
Certain types of myopathies can be treated with immune-suppressant agents and IVIG. Most myopathies require the use of supportive services, such as physical and occupational therapy, pulmonary medicine, cardiology, dietary management, and speech/swallowing therapists.
Does diabetes cause myopathy?
Diabetes myopathy is thought to be caused by neuropathy, a complication of diabetes. General symptoms of myopathies include muscle weakness of limbs sometimes occurring during exercise although in some cases the symptoms diminish as exercise increases.
