Jasmine Parihar, Takahisa Gono, Ho So, Latika Gupta, the APLAR myositis SIG
{"title":"Infections in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: Do Asians Need a Different Dose of Immunosuppression?","authors":"Jasmine Parihar, Takahisa Gono, Ho So, Latika Gupta, the APLAR myositis SIG","doi":"10.1111/1756-185X.70084","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1756-185X.70084","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Day et al. highlight the intricate challenges in managing rare rheumatic diseases like idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), particularly when aggressive immunosuppression is complicated by opportunistic infections [<span>1</span>]. This rare disease-rare complication scenario is further complicated by the hypothesis that infections may trigger autoimmunity, creating a paradoxical management dilemma. Opportunistic infections, which often present atypically in myositis patients and may mimic active IIM, pose a significant clinical challenge [<span>2</span>]. Furthermore, infections are the leading cause of death in myositis patients, suggesting that clinicians need to manage the prevention and early detection of infection. Moreover, immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs) may lead to other iatrogenic immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders (OIIA-LPDs), particularly in patients treated with methotrexate [<span>3</span>]. The absence of well-defined guidelines for these complex scenarios underscores the urgent need for comprehensive research to inform evidence-based management strategies in these challenging cases.</p><p>In patients with IIM and other autoimmune diseases, infection risk is influenced by a complex interplay of disease characteristics and treatment. A dysregulated immune response, disease severity, and the use of immunosuppressive medications significantly increase infection risk in conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with an infection rate of 29.2%–43.9% [<span>4</span>]. Opportunistic infections in myositis patients also present a significant clinical challenge, with a reported 33%–54% overall infection rate and 6%–12% classified as opportunistic, particularly within the first year of high-dose corticosteroid treatment [<span>5-7</span>]. Dermatomyositis patients, especially those with anti–MDA5-antibody positivity, face heightened infection risks independent of immunosuppressive therapy [<span>7-9</span>]. Other factors, such as methylprednisolone pulse therapy, combination therapy, disease onset after age 50 years, a lymphocyte count below 1200/mm<sup>3</sup>, high serum KL-6 levels, and the presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD), also contribute to higher infection risk [<span>10, 11</span>]. This issue is particularly acute in developing regions like Asia, where environmental factors and healthcare disparities, including inadequate vaccination protocols for immunosuppressed patients, exacerbate outcomes. The prevalence and impact of these infections underscore the urgent need for improved prevention strategies and management guidelines, especially in resource-limited settings.</p><p>Significant regional disparities in infection prevalence among myositis patients demand tailored management strategies. Asia reports higher mycobacterial infection rates (5.86%) compared to Europe (2.36%) and Latin America (2.47%) in IIM patients [<span>12</span>]. These patients show increased susceptibility t","PeriodicalId":14330,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1756-185X.70084","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143038849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Kawasaki Disease Can Come Calling as Aphon(e)ia: Laryngeal Weakness as the Presentation of Myositis in Kawasaki Disease","authors":"Gayathri Coimbatore Vaitheeswaran, Anirban Basu, Prabal Barman, Ridhima Aggarwal, Rakesh Kumar Pilania","doi":"10.1111/1756-185X.70091","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1756-185X.70091","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14330,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143038850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}