Signs, symptoms, and future treatment of inflammatory myopathy

Abstract

Proximal muscle dominant weakness has long been emphasized in inflammatory myopathy patients except inclusion body myositis (PM/DM). This is of course true, but it is necessary to recognize that most frequently and intractably involved muscles in PM/DM are neck flexor and trunk muscles. In addition to muscles in four extremities, routine evaluation of MMT in neck flexor and pectoralis major muscles is mandatory in general practice of PM/DM patients. Although glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, and intravenous immunoglobulin are mainstay in PM/DM treatment at present, an individual treatment regimen will develop based on the recent classification of PM/DM. A lot of novel drugs including alpha–interferon antibody, C5 antibody and JAK inhibitors are waiting.