Guest guest Posted February 22, 2001 Report Share Posted February 22, 2001 You know I have had cervical cancer at age 26 and had a tumor removed out of my mouth when I was a teen. Around the time I had the cervical cancer is when I got arachnioditis and had mysterious unexplained rashes and muscle weakness. I still get those mysterious rashes that noone can tell me what they are, when the get on my wrist it leaves a scaly patch and my wrist is so weak it is all I can do to move it some times. Any way this was just a thought. Hugs Dee R --- anzavic@... wrote: > > Hope I haven't sent this out before....brain fade ya > know... > > ------ > > As understanding of disorders such as polymyositis has > developed, > classification schemes have been modified. Myositis and > related > disorders are now generally referred to under the rubric > of inflammatory > muscle diseases. As a group, they are still relatively > rare and poorly > understood disorders. Although there are characteristic > differences, > they share certain overlapping clinical features and are > considered here > together. > > As with many inflammatory disorders of obscure cause, > inflammatory > muscle diseases are considered as genetically-mediated > autoimmune > disorders with an otherwise unknown trigger. Human > leukocyte antigen > (HLA)-DR3, as in many systemic rheumatic disorders, has > been > demonstrated to be a risk factor for inflammatory muscle > disease. > > Examination of muscle and sera from patients with > inflammatory muscle > diseases has provided evidence of both cellular and > humoral responses > that have been proposed as playing a role in the > pathogenesis of these > disorders. Muscles from patients with polymyositis are > infiltrated by > CD8+ T cells, most of which are cytotoxic. Analysis of T > cell receptors > indicate oligoclonality, suggesting at least some > specificity of the > response. Interestingly, in dermatomyositis, B cells are > also often > seen, where they are not a prominent component of the > infiltrating cells > in polymyositis. > > Evidence to suggest a humoral role is also indirect. > Specific > autoantibodies are found in sera of patients with > inflammatory muscle > disease. Moreover, these antibodies have been shown to > penetrate cell > membranes and to interact with and inhibit specific > enzymatic functions. > How and if this relates to the development of myositis is > yet to be > elucidated. > > The disorders considered as inflammatory muscle diseases > are relatively > rare. Surveys in England in the 1960s suggested a > prevalence of 1 in > 37,000 and an annual incidence of about 3 per million > population. > Comparable incidence figures were found in Tennessee over > a similar time > period for whites, but in black females the incidence was > 18 cases per > million population per year. Most studies do suggest that > the disease is > more common in women. Onset is bimodal, with peaks in > childhood and > middle age. > > The most common presentation is the insidious onset of > proximal muscle > weakness. Patients frequently complain of increasing > inability to: > Rise from a squat or from a chair > Climb stairs > Get their hand over their heads to reach objects > Comb their hair. > Later in the course, distal muscles or pharyngeal muscles > may become > weak. > > In most individuals, specific muscle group testing will > establish that > there is weakness in predominantly the proximal muscles. > The examiner > should not be misled by " give-way " weakness, which is > more often due to > either pain or feigned weakness. In general, muscles are > not tender. > Patients with dermatomyositis will have characteristic > rashes, which may > temporarily occur in any relationship with the muscle > involvement. > Gottron's papules, a pathognomonic feature of the > disease, are > erythematous plaques over the extensor surface of the > elbows, fingers, > and knees, and over the malleoli. The heliotrope rash > which is a > violaceous discoloration around the eyes, is also a > signature finding in > dermatomyositis. > > More nonspecific rashes are also seen, including a > photosensitive > erythroderma, particularly over the neck, face and upper > torso. > Subcutaneous calcification can be extensive and varies > from an > asymptomatic radiographic finding to a pruritic lesion > that ulcerates > through the skin. > > Other organ systems are only occasionally directly > involved. Arthralgias > and arthritis are not uncommon. When arthritis is > present, it generally > is non-erosive. Pulmonary interstitial fibrosis is a > worrisome finding > which may be unresponsive to therapy, and presents with a > dry cough and > dyspnea on exertion. > Of course, individuals with extensive weakness may have > problems > clearing their secretions and aspiration or atelectasis > due to > diminished respiratory excursion. An occasional patient > may have heart > failure or arrythmias due to myocarditis. > > Classification of inflammatory muscle diseases have > historically been > based on associated clinical findings (ie, idiopathic > polymyositis, > idiopathic dermatomyositis, juvenile myositis, myositis > associated with > malignancy, and overlap syndromes). As understanding of > these disorders > has improved, certain histologic and serologic > associations have been > made (see Pathogenesis and Laboratory Tests and > Radiographs sections, > this chapter). The difference between primary > polymyositis and > dermatomyositis is based on the absence or presence of > the > characteristic rash described above. Juvenile myositis > appears to be > much like the adult disease, but children are more likely > to have > dermatomyositis. > > Patients are said to have a myositis overlap syndrome if > myositis is > part of another inflammatory rheumatic disease. Patients > with rheumatoid > arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and scleroderma > may have > myositis as a component of their illnesses. In most > patients, the muscle > disease is overshadowed by the other features of their > disorders. > > One clinical impression is that patients with myositis > are more likely > to develop malignancies. For the most part, these > observations were > based on anecdotal reports. More recent controlled trials > have yielded > conflicting results, but there is a suggestion that > gastric and ovarian > cancers are seen more often in patients with myositis. An > often > recommended approach is to perform a careful examination > and the routine > screening tests (eg, mammograms, PAP smears, rectal exam) > appropriate > for an individual of that particular age. Abnormalities > uncovered with > these procedures should be vigorously pursued. Outcome of > patients with > malignancy and myositis is dependent on the outcome of > the malignancy. > There have been reports of the myositis improving with > remission of the > cancer, even when there has been surgical extirpation. > > ===== Love always Dee Hugs and Love Dee R O'Fallon, MO __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2001 Report Share Posted February 22, 2001 Dee..... Maybe you've had DM for a long time but in a mild form. Since you were also having other problems at that time it could have been easily overlooked. Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2001 Report Share Posted February 22, 2001 I am aiming to find out really soon. Thanks Dee R --- anzavic@... wrote: > > > Dee..... Maybe you've had DM for a long time but in a > mild form. Since > you were also having other problems at that time it could > have been > easily overlooked. > > Vicki > > ===== Love always Dee Hugs and Love Dee R O'Fallon, MO __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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