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| Treatment: | The disease is treated with corticosteroid medications or other immunosuppressive drugs. When an improvement of muscle strength is achieved, the medication is slowly tapered. Maintenance therapy with prednisone is often continued indefinitely.
If the condition is associated with a tumor, the condition may improve if the tumor is removed.
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| Expectations (prognosis): | Remissions and recovery have been reported, especially in children. In adults, death may result from severe and prolonged muscle weakness, malnutrition, pneumonia, or respiratory failure. The outcome is usually worse if cardiac or pulmonary involvement is present.
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| Calling your health care provider: | Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you experience the signs and symptoms of dermatomyositis.
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Review Date: 8/15/2003
Reviewed By: Michael Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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