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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThe exact cause of dermatomyositis is unknown, but the disease shares many characteristics with autoimmune disorders, in which your immune system attacks normal body components.
Normally, your immune system works to protect your healthy cells from attacks by foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. If you have polymyositis, an unknown cause may act as a trigger for your immune system to begin producing autoimmune antibodies (autoantibodies) that attack your body's own tissues. Many people with polymyositis show a detectable level of autoantibodies in their blood.
Small blood vessels in muscular tissue are particularly affected in dermatomyositis. Inflammatory cells surround the blood vessels and eventually lead to degeneration of muscle fibers.
- NINDS dermatomyositis information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dermatomyositis/dermatomyositis.htm. Accessed June 13, 2011.
- Dalakas MC. Inflammatory disorders of muscle: Progress in polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2004;17:561.
- Miller ML. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of adult dermatomyositis and polymyositis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 1, 2011.
- Greenberg SA, et al. Uncertainties in the pathogenesis of adult dermatomyositis. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2004;17:359.
- Santmyire-Rosenberger B, et al. Skin involvement in dermatomyositis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2003;15:714.
- Baer AN, et al. Polymyositis & dermatomyositis. In: Imboden JB, et al. Current Rheumatology Diagnosis & Treatment. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2726184. Accessed June 6, 2011.
- Cordeiro AC, et al. Treatment of inflammatory myopathies. Postgraduate Medical Journal. 2006;82:417.
- Walker UA. Imaging tools for the clinical assessment of idiopathic inflammatory myositis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2008;20:656.
- Miller ML, et al. Initial treatment of dermatomyositis and polymyositis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 1, 2011.
- Miller ML, et al. Treatment of recurrent and resistant dermatomyositis and polymyositis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 1, 2011.
- Dimachkie MM. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Journal of Neuroimmunology. 2011;231:32.
- Koski CL, et al. Intravenous immunoglobulin use for neurologic diseases. Journal of Infusion Nursing. 2006;29:S21.
- Medications. The Myositis Association. http://www.myositis.org/template/page.cfm?id=304. Accessed June 9, 2011.
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