The 255th ENMC workshop on Muscle Imaging in Idiopathic Inflammatory myopathies (IIM) aimed at defining recommendations concerning the applicability of muscle imaging in IIM. The workshop comprised of clinicians, researchers and people living with myositis. We aimed to achieve consensus on the following topics: a standardized protocol for the evaluation of muscle images in various types of IIMs; the exact parameters, anatomical localizations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques; ultrasound as assessment tool in IIM; assessment methods; the pattern of muscle involvement in IIM subtypes; the application of MRI as biomarker in follow-up studies and clinical trials, and the place of MRI in the evaluation of swallowing difficulty and cardiac manifestations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The structural and functional changes of the skeletal muscles in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) caused by inflammation and immune changes can be severely disabling. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a 24-week program combining a supervised training of activities of daily living (ADL), resistance, and stability with home exercise for improving muscle function, compared to a daily home-based exercise representing the regular outpatient care.
Methods: Fifty-seven patients with IIM were consecutively and non-selectively enrolled in an intervention (IG, n = 30) or control (CG, n = 27) group.
Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the circulating and skeletal muscle expression of clusterin (CLU) in inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and its potential implication in pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease.
Methods: A total of 85 IIM patients and 86 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. In addition, 20 IIM patients and 21 HC underwent a muscle biopsy.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the systemic and skeletal muscle levels of atrophy-associated myokines in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and their association with clinical characteristics of myositis.
Methods: A total of 94 IIM patients and 162 healthy controls were recruited. Of those, 20 IIM patients and 28 healthy controls underwent a muscle biopsy.
Objectives: To describe imaging modalities for diagnosing and monitoring of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
Methods: A detailed literature search summarising recent data documenting the contribution of different imaging techniques to current management of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies was performed.
Results: An overview of methods most frequently used for evaluation of inflammatory myopathies and the description of their role in the diagnostic and monitoring process is presented.
Purpose Of Review: MRI is a promising imaging method commonly used to assess muscle involvement in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). MRI enables evaluation of both activity and damage and is therefore an ideal noninvasive diagnostic and monitoring tool. Despite its widespread use, there is no universally accepted method for scoring and reporting of MRI findings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The early, simple and reliable detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in SSc (DETECT) study described a new algorithm for early detection of PAH in patients with SSc. The aim of this retrospective, single-centre, cross-sectional study was to apply a modified DETECT calculator in patients with SSc in the East Bohemian region, Czech Republic, to assess the risk of PAH and to compare these results with PAH screening based on the European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) 2009 guidelines.
Methods: Sixty patients were recruited with a diagnosis of SSc (according to ACR criteria), aged 27-78 years.