Differential diagnosis of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies
Buldakova Yu.R., Goloviznin M.V.

A.I. Evdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are heterogeneous group of disorders. Among them, dermatomyositis and polymyositis traditionally belonging to connective tissue disorders are of special importance. Myopathy of various severity is typical of other conditions (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome etc.) thus making differential diagnosis more difficult. Considering this, overlap syndromes in rheumatology become relevant. This clinical case highlights a number of features which are beyond classical signs of idiopathic polymyositis, i.e., acute disease onset with fever in a man, disease manifested as symmetric arthritis of wrist and radiocarpal joints, long-term disease course masked with non-infectious arthritis, pulmonary manifestations and myopathy occurred simultaneously, dysphagia and dysphonia, and stable therapeutic effect from low doses of corticosteroids. These aspects require careful follow-up and differential diagnosis with other connective tissue disorders.

Key words: dermatomyositis, polymyositis, overlap syndromes, idiopathic myopathies.

For citation: Buldakova Yu.R., Goloviznin M.V. Differential diagnosis of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies // RMJ. 2016. № 20. P. 1385–1388.