       Document 0094
 DOCN  M9620094
 TI    Clinical characteristics of HTLV-1 associated dermato-polymyositis.
       Seven cases from Martinique.
 DT    9602
 AU    Smadja D; Bellance R; Cabre P; Arfi S; Vernant JC; Department of
       Neurology, University Hospital of Fort-de-France,; Martinique, French
       West Indies.
 SO    Acta Neurol Scand. 1995 Sep;92(3):206-12. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96050968
 AB    Myositis linked to HTLV-1 is unfrequent. Over a period of 8 years, 14
       patients with inflammatory myopathy were diagnosed in Martinique. Seven
       were seropositive for HTLV 1 antibody; the clinical and pathological
       data of whom are presented herein. Five patients presented with
       polymyositis, two with dermatomyositis. All seven patients had
       extra-muscular clinical features including neuropathy (4/7) and
       myelopathy (6/7), resulting in a quite peculiar clinical picture. Muscle
       biopsy showed a neurogenic process combined with myositic changes in 3/7
       patients. Corticotherapy led to dramatic improvement in only one case,
       but with no sustained effect. HTLV 1 may be considered the etiological
       agent of this form of dermato-polymyositis, characterized by a clearly
       distinctive clinico-pathological picture, and a poor response to
       corticotherapy. As in the case of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV 1
       associated myelopathy, careful assessment of non-steroidal therapy is
       now warranted.
 DE    Adult  Aged  Biopsy  Case Report  Child  Dermatomyositis/*DIAGNOSIS/DRUG
       THERAPY/PATHOLOGY  Female  Follow-Up Studies  Human  HTLV-I
       Infections/*DIAGNOSIS/DRUG THERAPY/PATHOLOGY  Male  Martinique  Middle
       Age  Muscle, Skeletal/PATHOLOGY  Neurologic Examination/DRUG EFFECTS
       Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic/*DIAGNOSIS/DRUG THERAPY/PATHOLOGY
       Polymyositis/*DIAGNOSIS/DRUG THERAPY/PATHOLOGY  Prednisone/THERAPEUTIC
       USE  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Treatment Failure  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

