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)
PubMed search builder options
Subheadings:
Tree Number(s): C05.651.594.819.500, C10.668.491.562.575.500, C17.300.250, C17.800.185
MeSH Unique ID: D003882
Entry Terms:
- Polymyositis-Dermatomyositis
- Polymyositis Dermatomyositis
- Dermatopolymyositis
- Dermatomyositis, Adult Type
- Adult Type Dermatomyositis
- Dermatomyositis, Childhood Type
- Childhood Type Dermatomyositis
- Juvenile Dermatomyositis
- Dermatomyositis, Juvenile
- Juvenile Myositis
- Myositis, Juvenile