Title:Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
Combined with Interstitial Lung Disease in Patients Residing in
the Northeast Sichuan Province of China
Volume: 19
Issue: 4
Author(s): Tao Li, Zi-Yi Tang, Quan-Bo Zhang, Fan-Ni Xiao, Gui-Lin Jian, Yan Xie, Jian-Wei Guo and Yu-Feng Qing*
Affiliation:
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, 637000, China
Keywords:
Polymyositis, dermatomyositis, interstitial lung disease, clinical characteristics, risk factors, DPLD.
Abstract:
Background: Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are non-suppurative and
autoimmune inflammatory diseases of striated muscle. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of
heterogeneous diseases that mainly involve the pulmonary interstitium, alveoli, and/or bronchioles,
also known as diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD). A significant cause of death in persons
with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) is concurrent interstitial lung disease (ILD).
However, research on the clinical characteristics and associated influencing factors of PM/DM
combined with ILD (PM/DM-ILD) is currently scarce in China.
Objective: The study aimed to probe the clinical features and risk factors of PM/DM-ILD.
Methods: The data of 130 patients with PM/DM were gathered. General medical status, clinical
symptoms, laboratory parameters, high-resolution CT, therapeutic outcomes, and prognoses were
retrospectively reviewed in patients with PM/DM with (ILD group) and without (NILD) ILD.
Results: The age of the ILD group (n=65) was more than the NILD group (n=65), and the difference
was statistically significant; there were no significant between-group variations in the PM/DM
ratio, sex, or duration of the disease. The initial symptoms were arthritis and respiratory symptoms
in the ILD group, and myasthenia symptoms in the NILD group. Incidences of Raynaud’s phenomenon,
dry cough, expectoration, dyspnea on exertion, arthritis, fever, total globulin (GLOB), erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR), and anti-Jo-1 antibody rate were higher for ILD; however, albumin
(ALB), creatine kinase aspartate aminotransferase activity ratio (CK/AST) and CK levels were significantly
lower in the ILD group. Bivariate logistic regression analysis showed age, dry cough, arthritis,
dyspnea on exertion, anti-Jo-1 antibody, and elevated GLOB to be independent risk factors
for ILD among patients with PM/DM.
Conclusion: Advanced age, dry cough, arthritis, dyspnea on exertion, anti-Jo-1 antibody positivity,
and elevated GLOB level are risk factors for PM/DM-ILD. This information could be utilized to
carefully monitor changing lung function in these patients.
