Title: Myositis – Muscle Inflammation, Patient Journeys & Emerging Treatments

In this episode, we dive deep into Myositis a rare autoimmune disease that causes chronic muscle inflammation and weakness. We break down its major types: Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis (and Inclusion Body Myositis, highlighting their unique symptoms and clinical features.

You’ll hear real patient stories—from Sarah’s battle with Dermatomyositis to James adapting to life with IBM—illustrating the challenges and triumphs behind these diagnoses.

We explore diagnostic clues, including:

• CK levels as markers of muscle damage
• Anti-Mi-2 antibodies as autoimmune fingerprints
• Muscle biopsy as the gold standard for confirmation

The episode also covers genetic risk factors like HLA variants and immune signaling genes (STAT4, IRF5), explaining how they influence disease susceptibility and treatment strategies. We spotlight Type I interferon signaling, a pathway that stays switched on in autoimmunity, and how new drugs aim to turn off this alarm.

Treatment options range from corticosteroids and immunosuppressants to biologics, IVIG, and emerging therapies like JAK inhibitors and stem cell approaches. We also emphasize the importance of diversity in clinical trials, ensuring therapies work for all populations.

Finally, we share living well tips—physical therapy, balanced nutrition, and regular monitoring—to help patients manage symptoms and maintain quality of life.

Catchphrase: “Stay curious, stay hopeful, stay informed—and help us grow the forest! Subscribe today because every new subscriber adds another tree to our woods.” 🌲

References:

• General:
  • https://www.myositis.org
  • https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov
  • https://www.niams.nih.gov
  • https://www.nature.com/nri/
  • https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/
  • https://clinicaltrials.gov
  • https://www.nih.gov/clinical-research-diversity
• Dermatomyositis Diagnostics:
  • CK Levels: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554529/
  • Anti-Mi-2 Antibodies: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.715845/full
  • Muscle Biopsy: https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/muscleinflammatorymyopathies.html