Clinical assessment in adult onset idiopathic inflammatory myopathy

Abstract

Purpose of review: Outcome measures have been developed and validated for many rheumatic diseases and used in clinical trials. The clinical assessment and measures of improvement in clinical trials of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) has varied to date and over the past few years an attempt has been made to reach a consensus in defining this improvement.

Recent findings: The IMACS group (International Myositis Outcome Assessment Collaborative Study) has proposed core set measures for disease activity and damage assessment in adults. Distinguishing between activity and damage can be difficult and measures to ascertain this are discussed.

Summary: Significant progress has been made in developing international consensus in the assessment of IIM. Further developments are underway to assess the reliability and validity of measures that should capture the multisystem nature of this disease.