Disease or Syndrome
polymyositis
[ pah-lee-my-oh-sy-tis ]
Subclass of:
Myositis
Definitions related to polymyositis:
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A rare disease in which the muscles become inflamed and weak.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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A rare idiopathic inflammatory myopathy characterized by symmetric proximal muscle weakness and elevated muscle enzymes.OrphaNetINSERM, 2021
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An idiopathic inflammatory disorder affecting the muscles. It presents with symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and elevated skeletal muscle enzymes.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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An inflammatory disease of the muscles closest to the center of the body. It causes weakness, inability to stand, climb stairs, lift, or reach. It may also cause muscle pain and difficulty swallowing, and may affect the lungs and heart. Having polymyositis increases the risk of certain types of cancer.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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An inflammatory disorder affecting the muscles. It presents with symmetrical proximal muscle weakness. Complications include distal weakness, thickening skin of hands and interstitial lung disease. Juvenile polymyositis is a rare early onset form of the disease.NICHD Pediatric TerminologyU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Diseases characterized by inflammation involving multiple muscles. This may occur as an acute or chronic condition associated with medication toxicity (DRUG TOXICITY); CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASES; infections; malignant NEOPLASMS; and other disorders. The term polymyositis is frequently used to refer to a specific clinical entity characterized by subacute or slowly progressing symmetrical weakness primarily affecting the proximal limb and trunk muscles. The illness may occur at any age, but is most frequent in the fourth to sixth decade of life. Weakness of pharyngeal and laryngeal muscles, interstitial lung disease, and inflammation of the myocardium may also occur. Muscle biopsy reveals widespread destruction of segments of muscle fibers and an inflammatory cellular response. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1404-9)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Inflammation of a number of voluntary muscles simultaneously.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Polymyositis is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy that causes symmetrical, proximal muscle weakness; elevated skeletal muscle enzyme levels; and characteristic electromyography (EMG) and muscle biopsy findings (see the images below). Clinically similar to polymyositis, dermatomyositis is an idiopathic, inflammatory myopathy associated...WebMD, 2019
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Polymyositis (pol-e-my-o-SY-tis) is an uncommon inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness affecting both sides of your body. Having this condition can make it difficult to climb stairs, rise from a seated position, lift objects or reach overhead.Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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Polymyositis is a type of inflammatory myopathy, which refers to a group of muscle diseases characterized by chronic muscle inflammation and weakness. The muscles affected by polymyositis are the skeletal muscles (those involved with making movements) on both sides of the body. Although the disease can affect people of all ages, most...National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
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Polymyositis, chronic, progressive inflammation of skeletal muscles, particularly the muscles of the shoulders and pelvis. Initially muscles may be swollen slightly, and the first symptoms to appear are usually muscle weakness and sometimes pain. A weakening of muscles close to the torso is common....Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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