New dermatomyositis study findings have been reported by Y. Suzuki and co-researchers
2009 JUL 8 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (ILD-PM/DM), including amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM), is recognized as an important condition because it frequently causes death, despite intensive therapy with high-dose corticosteroid and immunosuppressive agents, such as cyclosporine A and cyclophosphamide. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG) has shown efficacy for myopathy associated with PM/DM, but its usefulness for ILD-PM/DM is unclear," investigators in Shizuoka, Japan report. "This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of IVIG for refractory ILD-PM/DM. A review was made of medical charts of five patients (2 men and 3 women) who were treated with IVIG for refractory ILD-PM/DM resistant to high-dose corticosteroid and cyclosporine A and/or cyclophosphamide. One patient had acute ILD-PM and four patients had acute ILD-ADM. Of the five patients, one patient with ILD-PM and one patient with ILD-ADM survived. No adverse reactions were seen due to IVIG treatment. There were no critical differences in the clinical parameters and clinical courses between survivors and nonsurvivors," wrote Y. Suzuki and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "IVIG treatment is safe and could be an effective salvage therapy for refractory ILD-PM/DM in certain cases, suggesting that further controlled trials are worthwhile.." Suzuki and colleagues published their study in Lung (Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy for Refractory Interstitial Lung Disease Associated with Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis. Lung, 2009;187(3):201-206). For additional information, contact Y. Suzuki, 1-20-1 Hanadayama Higashiku, Shizuoka 4313125, Japan. The publisher of the journal Lung can be contacted at: Springer, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013, USA. Keywords: Japan, Shizuoka, Corticosteroid, Cyclophosphamide, Cyclosporine, Dermatomyositis, Drugs, Immunology, Infectious Disease, Interstitial Lung Disease, Intravenous Immunoglobulin, Myopathy, Pharmaceuticals, Polymyositis, Pulmonology, Respiratory Infection, Rheumatology, Therapy, Treatment. This article was prepared by Immunotherapy Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Immunotherapy Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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