An official website of the United States government.
Preferred Term:
dermatomyositis
Definition:
A subacute or chronic inflammatory disease of muscle and skin, marked by proximal muscle weakness and a characteristic skin rash. The illness occurs with approximately equal frequency in children and adults. The skin lesions usually take the form of a purplish rash (or less often an exfoliative dermatitis) involving the nose, cheeks, forehead, upper trunk, and arms. The disease is associated with a complement mediated intramuscular microangiopathy, leading to loss of capillaries, muscle ischemia, muscle-fiber necrosis, and perifascicular atrophy. The childhood form of this disease tends to evolve into a systemic vasculitis. Dermatomyositis may occur in association with malignant neoplasms.
Concept Schemes:
NALT Full
Broader Concept:
URI:
https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt/154505
Download this Concept:
RDF/XMLCreated 2012-03-27, last modified 2013-01-14
Exactly Matching Concepts: