Last reviewed: 2 Feb 2021
Last updated: 03 Nov 2017
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- difficulty with motor tasks
- muscle weakness
- muscle atrophy
- heliotrope rash with eyelid edema
- Gottron papules
Other diagnostic factors
- frequent falls
- fatigue and generalized malaise
- weight loss
- shortness of breath
- mild fever
- abnormal breath sounds
- dysphagia
- myalgia
- arthralgia
- palpitations
- syncope
- symptoms of MI
- facial rash
- erythematous rash
- nail fold changes
- facial muscle weakness
- skin calcinosis
- joint swelling
- arrhythmias
- signs of heart failure and/or MI
- physical findings of malignancy
- systemic signs of autoimmune disease
- peripheral neuropathy
Risk factors
- children and age >40 years
- exposure to high intensity of global UV radiation
- genetic predisposition
- female gender and/or black ethnicity (polymyositis and dermatomyositis)
- male gender and/or white ethnicity (inclusion body myositis)
- lipid-lowering agents
- HIV
- viral infections (excluding HIV)
- nonviral infection
- vaccination
- D-penicillamine
- other drugs or toxins
Diagnostic investigations
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors
Associate Professor of Neurology
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
New Jersey Medical School
Newark
NJ
Disclosures
NS declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Physician
Department of Neurology
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Philadelphia
PA
Disclosures
SK declares that he has no competing interests.
Vice-Chairman
Department of Neurology
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Boston
MA
Disclosures
AAA declares that he has no competing interests.
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