Clinical types of lung disease in polymyositis and dermatomyositis

Abstract

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of rare, heterogeneous connective tissue disorders characterized by skeletal muscle inflammation. The four main forms of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, and necrotizing immune-mediated myopathy. Each form of myositis, other than inclusion body myositis, can be associated with damage to many organs, including the lungs, heart, joints, and skin. The most often observed damage to the lung tissue with the development of interstitial lung disease, which occurs with or without myositis. The severity of the course varies from mild to severe, with rapid development of respiratory failure. Interstitial lung disease can be fatal in patients with myositis, therefore, it is necessary to assess the damage to the lung tissue in the early stages of the disease.