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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2009;80:1060-1068 doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008.169375
  • Review

Evaluation and treatment of inflammatory myopathies

  1. A A Amato1,
  2. R J Barohn2
  1. 1
    Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  2. 2
    Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr A A Amato, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115; aamato{at}partners.org
  • Received 27 January 2009
  • Accepted 30 March 2009

Abstract

The major types of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy include dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis (PM), inclusion body myositis (IBM) and immune mediated necrotising myopathy (NM). These myositides appear clinically, histologically and pathogenically distinct. DM, PM and immune mediated NM are responsive to immunosuppressive therapy, in contrast with IBM which is generally refractory to therapy. Greater understanding of the pathogenic bases of these disorders should hopefully lead to better treatment. We need well designed, prospective, double blind, placebo controlled trials in order to determine the best therapeutic options for these different disorders.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Provenance and Peer review Commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.

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