Dermatomyositis
Adult Type Dermatomyositides
Adult Type Dermatomyositis
Childhood Type Dermatomyositides
Childhood Type Dermatomyositis
Dermatomyositides
Dermatomyositides, Adult Type
Dermatomyositides, Childhood Type
Dermatomyositis, Adult Type
Dermatomyositis, Childhood Type
Dermatopolymyositides
Dermatopolymyositis
Polymyositis Dermatomyositis
Polymyositis-Dermatomyositides
Polymyositis-Dermatomyositis
A subacute or chronic inflammatory disease of muscle and skin, marked by proximal muscle weakness and a characteristic skin rash. The illness occurs with approximately equal frequency in children and adults. The skin lesions usually take the form of a purplish rash (or less often an exfoliative dermatitis) involving the nose, cheeks, forehead, upper trunk, and arms. The disease is associated with a complement mediated intramuscular microangiopathy, leading to loss of capillaries, muscle ischemia, muscle-fiber necrosis, and perifascicular atrophy. The childhood form of this disease tends to evolve into a systemic vasculitis. Dermatomyositis may occur in association with malignant neoplasms. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1405-6)