J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2009 Dec;16(4):301-305.

A Case of Resistant Polymyositis That Was Successfully Treated with Tacrolimus

• Ahn YW
• Song S
• Hwang KS
• Yoo DH
• Kim NR
• Kim TH

Abstract

Polymyositis is one form of inflammatory myopathy. In some patients, this disease does not entirely respond to conventional initial therapy with glucocorticoid, methotrexate and azathioprine. Multiple options exist for treating these patients, but only intravenous immune globulin has been subjected to a randomized clinical trial. We report here on a case of polymyositis that did not respond to multiple drug therapy, but it did respond to tacrolimus. After treatment with tacrolimus, the patient's disease has been well controlled for many years.

Keyword

Polymyositis; Tacrolimus; Inflammatory myopathy

MeSH Terms

Azathioprine
Humans
Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
Methotrexate
Myositis
Polymyositis
Tacrolimus
Azathioprine
Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
Methotrexate
Tacrolimus

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Minimal infiltration of inflammatory cells is found in the endomysial area (H&E stain, ×400).

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  Fig. 2. The serum CK and LDH levels during treatments ∗PDS (tapering from 1 mg/kg/day),†IVIG (400 mg/day for∥Cyclosporine (100§Methotrexate (10 mg/week),‡Cyclophosphamide (50 mg/day), 5 consecutive days), mg/day),¶Azathioprin (100 mg/day), ∗∗Infliximab (300 mg, 1 day),††Tacrolimus (2 mg/day), ↓: IVIG.

Reference

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