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A 55-year-old Hispanic woman presents to her family physician with a diffuse rash and increasing muscle weakness. The initial rash (without weakness) 2 months prior was thought to be a photosensitivity reaction to her new hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) prescription. She stopped the HCTZ and the rash initially improved with some topical corticosteroids. At the time of her current presentation, she had trouble getting up from a chair, walking, and lifting her arms over her head. The rash was prominent in sun-exposed areas, but was also seen in a shawl-like distribution in non-sun-exposed areas (Figure 181-1). Aside from her hypertension and obesity, the patient did not have any previous chronic medical conditions. She was afebrile with no other pertinent findings on physical exam.
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This is a classic presentation of dermatomyositis with the typical rash and proximal muscle weakness. Close attention to the rash around her eyes demonstrates the pathognomonic heliotrope rash of dermatomyositis (Figures 181-2 and 181-3). Also the patient has Gottron papules on the fingers, seen best in this case over the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint of the third finger (Figure 181-4). There was periungual erythema and ragged cuticles. The scalp was red and scaly. Her neurologic exam was consistent with proximal myopathy. She also had some trouble swallowing bread; and dysphagia is not unusual in dermatomyositis. Laboratory tests showed mild elevations in muscle enzymes with the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) having the greatest elevation. In other cases, the creatine kinase (CK) can be very elevated.
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The family physician started the patient on 60 mg of prednisone daily and topical steroids for the affected areas. The patient responded well to prednisone and 2 weeks later was feeling stronger and the rash was fading (Figure 181-5). After 4 weeks of 60 mg/day of prednisone she was ...