Standard treatment for myositis and muscular dystrophies.
Summary of "Standard treatment for myositis and muscular dystrophies."
We summarize the current therapeutic strategies and options in inflammatory myositis and the muscular dystrophies. In myositis, the therapeutic options include basic therapy with glucocorticosteroids and other standard immunosuppressive agents, and in individual cases escalating treatment with chemotherapy or monoclonal antibodies. The exact therapeutic sequence should be performed depending on the type of myositis and the response to immunosuppression.At present, there are still no effective causative interventions to significantly alter the progression of the muscular dystrophies. However, first gene therapy clinical studies have been started in some forms of muscular dystrophy which may open a new field of therapeutic options.Most patients with myositis or muscular dystrophy need symptom-oriented therapies which include physical therapy, adequate cardiorespiratory treatment and orthopedic interventions. In the future novel immunosuppressive options may be available in patients with myositis and possibly causative strategies in the muscular dystrophies.
Affiliation
Abteilung Neurologie, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Göttingen, Deutschland.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Der Nervenarzt
ISSN: 1433-0407
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21614632
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00115-010-2970-3
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-girdle
A heterogenous group of inherited muscular dystrophy that can be autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. There are many forms (called LGMDs) involving genes encoding muscle membrane proteins such as the sarcoglycan (SARCOGLYCANS) complex that interacts with DYSTROPHIN. The disease is characterized by progressing wasting and weakness of the proximal muscles of arms and legs around the HIPS and SHOULDERS (the pelvic and shoulder girdles).
Sarcoglycanopathies
Deficiencies or mutations in the genes for the SARCOGLYCAN COMPLEX subunits. A variety of phenotypes are associated with these mutations including a subgroup of autosomal recessive limb girdle muscular dystrophies, cardiomyopathies, and respiratory deficiency.
Muscular Dystrophies
A heterogeneous group of inherited MYOPATHIES, characterized by wasting and weakness of the SKELETAL MUSCLE. They are categorized by the sites of MUSCLE WEAKNESS; AGE OF ONSET; and INHERITANCE PATTERNS.
Muscular Atrophy, Spinal
A group of disorders marked by progressive degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord resulting in weakness and muscular atrophy, usually without evidence of injury to the corticospinal tracts. Diseases in this category include Werdnig-Hoffmann disease and later onset SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHIES OF CHILDHOOD, most of which are hereditary. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1089)
Muscular Dystrophy, Emery-dreifuss
A heterogenous group of inherited muscular dystrophy without the involvement of nervous system. The disease is characterized by MUSCULAR ATROPHY; MUSCLE WEAKNESS; CONTRACTURE of the elbows; ACHILLES TENDON; and posterior cervical muscles; with or without cardiac features. There are several INHERITANCE PATTERNS including X-linked (X CHROMOSOME), autosomal dominant, and autosomal recessive gene mutations.
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