Effects of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in Japanese patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis resistant to corticosteroids: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy has been effective in treating various autoimmune and systemic inflammatory diseases. Here, we assessed the efficacy and safety of IVIG therapy with polyethylene glycol-treated human IgG (drug code GB-0998) for patients with corticosteroid-refractory polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) by means of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We randomly assigned 26 subjects (16 PM and 10 DM) to receive either GB-0998 or placebo.

Efficacy of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in Japanese patients with steroid-resistant polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy was administered to 15 patients who were refractory to traditional steroid therapy [eight with polymyosis (PM), seven with dermamyosis (DM)] to evaluate its efficacy. Serum creatine kinase (CK) significantly decreased from week 1, and manual muscle test scores (MMT) and activities of daily living (ADL) significantly increased from week 2. Efficacy rates were 93.

Prospective study of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of steroid-resistant polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

Abstract High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy has been effective in treating many autoimmune and systemic inflammatory diseases. In the present prospective study, we evaluated the efficacy of IVIG for patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) refractory to treatment with high-dose corticosteroids. PM/DM was defined as steroid-resistant when the muscle strength of a patient did not improve despite the administration of more than 50 mg prednisolone per day for more than 4 weeks.

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis associated with malignancy: a 30-year retrospective study.

Background: Polymyositis and dermatomyositis in association with malignancy are paraneoplastic syndromes, but the incidence, treatment and factors that predict associated cancer and its prognosis all remain unclear.

Patients And Method: During the 30-year period 1969-99, we treated 64 patients who had polymyositis (including two with cancer) and 28 patients who had dermatomyositis (including 10 with cancer). We compared the clinical findings of the patients who had cancer with the findings of those who did not have cancer.