Photo Credit: Pawel Kacperek

The following is a summary of “Causes and Clinical Presentation of Drug-Induced Dermatomyositis,” published in the January 2024 issue of Dermatology by Caravan, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to characterize the causes and clinical presentation of drug-induced dermatomyositis (DM) based on the current literature, focusing on immune checkpoint inhibitors.

A systematic review was conducted in PubMed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines from inception to August 22, 2022. Articles meeting pre-established inclusion criteria, including original articles, case reports, literature reviews, and observation letters written in English, were selected. Additionally, relevant articles from reference lists were included. Quantitative synthesis of study results was performed when feasible.

A total of 134 studies (114 from the literature search and 20 additional studies from reference lists) describing 165 cases were analyzed. Of the patients, 88 (53.3%) were female, with a median (IQR) age of 61 (49-69) years. The most common medications associated with drug-induced DM were hydroxyurea (50 [30.3%]), immune checkpoint inhibitors (27 [16.4%]), statins (22 [13.3%]), penicillamine (10 [6.1%]), and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (10 [6.1%]). Histopathologic testing aided in establishing the diagnosis, and there was a median (IQR) onset of 60 (21-288) days between drug initiation and DM onset. A history of cancer was reported in 85 cases (51.6%).

The systematic review highlighted that drug-induced DM can be associated with various medications, including chemotherapies and immunotherapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors. Prompt recognition and diagnosis by dermatologists are crucial for guiding management strategies to minimize treatment interruption whenever possible.

Reference: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2813821