Abstract
Objective:
To study the clinical features of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with dermatomyositis and factors related to its development.
Methods:
Clinical records for patients with dermatomyositis were reviewed retrospectively.
Results:
Records were analysed for 230 patients (mean follow-up period, 18 months). The prevalence of ILD was 49.6%. The presence of ILD correlated positively with the presence of arthralgia, myoasthenia and cough, but negatively with the presence of Gottron’s papules. Patients with ILD had poorer pulmonary function and more frequent positivity for anti-Jo1 antibodies than those without ILD. Patients with ILD characteristically showed linear, patchy, ground-glass opacities and reticular computed tomography (CT) patterns, usually at the bottom or apex of the lung.
Conclusions:
Dermatomyositis patients presenting with heliotrope rash, arthralgia, myoasthenia, cough, dysphagia, anti-Jo1 positivity or abnormal lung function were more likely, whereas those presenting with Gottron’s papules were less likely, to develop ILD. Characteristic CT patterns in dermatomyositis patients with ILD were lines, patches, ground-glass opacities and reticulation.
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