Session Information
Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)
Background/Purpose: We conducted this study because there have been no studies evaluating the effect of the use of corticosteroids (CE) on the presence of inflammatory infiltrates in muscle biopsies of patients with polymyositis (PM).
Methods: This single-center retrospective study, conducted from 2002 to 2013, evaluated 60 patients with defined-PM (Bohan & Peter criteria, 1975) with clinical and laboratory disease activity. Two researchers systematically and independently evaluated muscle biopsy samples that had been obtained at the time of the investigation and diagnosis of PM. The patients were divided into three groups according to the degree of the inflammatory infiltrate (semi-quantitative) present in the muscle biopsies: (a) minimal inflammatory infiltrate present only in an interstitial area of the muscle biopsy (endomysium, perimysium) or in a perivascular area; (B) moderate inflammatory infiltrate in one or two areas of the interstitium of the muscle biopsy or of the perivascular area; and (C) moderate inflammatory infiltrate throughout the interstitium or intense inflammation in at least one area of the interstitium of the muscle biopsy or of the perivascular area.
Results: The three groups (A=10, B=23 and C=27 patients) were comparable regarding the age at the time of the muscle biopsy, gender, ethnicity distributions, interval time between the muscle biopsy and the symptom onset, clinical manifestations, degree of muscle weakness and serum muscle enzyme measurements (P>0.05). Approximately half of the patients in each group were using CE at the time of the muscle biopsy. The median (interquartile) duration of CE use [4 (0-38), 4 (0-60) and 5 (0-60) days: groups A, B and C, respectively] and the median cumulative CE dose used [70 (0-1200), 300 (0-1470) and 300 (0-1800) mg] were similar between the groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Previous CE use did not influence the presence or the degree of inflammatory infiltrates found in muscle biopsies in PM with clinical and laboratory disease activity. Our study showed that muscle biopsies should be performed this population, even in individuals who have already been taking CEs.
Disclosure:
M. M. Pinhata,
None;
J. J. D. Nascimento,
None;
S. K. N. Marie,
None;
S. K. Shinjo,
None.
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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/does-previous-corticosteroid-treatment-affect-the-inflammatory-infiltrate-found-in-polymyositis-muscle-biopsies/