Spectrum of skin manifestations in dermatomyositis

- Short description
Dermatomyositis (DM) is an auto-immune disease characterized by distinct skin lesions and a heterogeneous constellation of systemic manifestations, including myositis and interstitial lung disease. A good knowledge of the cutaneous signs in DM is important, since skin features are an essential diagnostic clue, especially in those patients with absence of muscle involvement (so called amyopathic DM). In addition, skin lesions have an important impact on the quality of life of DM patients and are often resistant to classic DM treatments. Traditionally, skin findings have been divided into pathognomonic (Gottron papules, Gottron sign and heliotrope rash), characteristic, compatible, less common, rare and non-specific. An overview will be given of these different cutaneous manifestations seen in adult dermatomyositis. Treatment of patients with DM is generally driven by the involvement of muscle disease and or other systemic manifestations. However, skin disease often responds differently and requires a specific approach.
- Speaker
Prof. Petra De Haes is Clinical Head of the Dermatology Department at the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium, where she has worked since 2005. She is also Senior Academic Staff member at the Biomedical Sciences Group, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Her main focus, both in clinic as in research, is on the cutaneous manifestations of systemic diseases. She has a close interaction with the departments of internal medicine and rheumatology with combined multidisciplinary consultations. Besides systemic diseases, Petra is also responsible for the health care programme mucosal pathology and autoimmune bullous diseases.

[@choc23able]

Excellent extremely useful lecture for me as a rheumatologist. Thank you so much!

[@karolplouffe3807]

Could we get on with it????

[@andreasmit6454]

Anyone else with rash on the nipples? I am female, have Jo1 and MI2B antibodies, and this rash is driving me crazy! I can’t seem to find any association with DM and nipple rash, so maybe it’s just me? Lol