PANNICULITIS IN DERMATOMYOSITIS

Abstract

Dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) belong to idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and are characterized by inflammatory injury to the skeletal muscles. In DM, unlike PM, there is skin injury that serves as a pathognomonic sign of this condition. Panniculitis (PN) is one of the rare cutaneous manifestations in this disease.Objective: to investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of IIM accompanied by PN and to elaborate guidelines for managing these patients.Subjects and methods. Examinations were made in 318 patients (75 men and 243 women) aged 18 to 80 years who were diagnosed with IIM (mean disease duration of 18.97±7.4 months) and followed up at the V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology in 1996 to 2015.Results and discussion. In 12 (3.8%) of the 318 patients, lobular PN that was associated with the diagnosis of DM verified in all cases. The clinical picture in this patient group was also characterized by skin injury as erythema on the face and trunk and Gottron’s papules (100%), periungual capillaritis (91.7%), ulceronecrotic vasculitis (57.3%), periorbital edema (75%), fever (41.7%), alopecia (50%), and joint involvement (25%).Conclusion. The development of PN is associated with the acute period of DM and the emergence of new foci is related to an exacerbation of this disease, which requires active therapy.

Keywords

• idiopathic inflammatory myopathies
• dermatomyositis
• panniculitis