The UF Health Myositis Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Center provides personalized care and leads research for people with myositis-associated ILD. This includes conditions like inflammatory myopathies, dermatomyositis, and amyopathic dermatomyositis.
Your multidisciplinary care team includes:
Myositis Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a disease that causes inflammation in the muscles and lungs. Muscle inflammation can make movement hard, while lung inflammation can cause trouble breathing. It is part of a group of diseases called inflammatory myopathies, which can affect other parts of the body too.
Antisynthetase syndrome; Autoimmune connective tissue disease ILD; Myositis associated ILD; Myositis associated interstitial lung disease; Overlap syndrome
Myositis ILD occurs when diseases like dermatomyositis or antisynthetase syndrome inflame the lungs. This can lead to scarring and lung damage, including pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial pneumonia.
Other conditions, like infectious diseases or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers, have similar symptoms. A thorough diagnosis helps differentiate idiopathic inflammatory myopathies from these conditions.
Myositis ILD symptoms vary, but commonly include:
Talk to a doctor if you notice these symptoms, especially if you already have a muscle disease like myositis.
To diagnose myositis-associated ILD, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask about your health history. Tests that may be used include:
A thorough diagnosis helps differentiate idiopathic inflammatory myopathies from other conditions like infectious diseases or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers, which may mimic similar symptoms.
There is no cure yet, but treatment can reduce symptoms and slow down lung damage. Treatment plans are made for each person and may include:
In severe cases, lung transplants may be considered. Doctors will monitor for side effects like infections or high blood pressure, especially from steroids or immune-suppressing medicines.
Complications of myositis ILD include:
Discussing potential side effects of treatments with your doctor and reporting any new or worsening symptoms is crucial.
Managing life with myositis-associated ILD requires lifestyle adjustments and careful adherence to treatment plans. Here are some tips:
Our research focuses on advancing the understanding of Myositis ILD to develop effective and evidence-based treatments for our patients.
We encourage you to ask about our research, explore ways to participate and support our cause.
For more information, call (352) 273-8737.
Attend our monthly ILD Support Group meeting, hosted by UF Health’s ILD physicians and clinical research coordinators. Each session features a presentation by an expert on a relevant ILD topic. Patients have a chance to learn more about their condition, connect with others, and share experiences.
Meetings are held on Thursdays at 4 p.m. on the UF campus. There is also a Zoom option for remote participation.
Reach out to caroline.cook@medicine.ufl.edu or rosie.kizza@medicine.ufl.edu if you would like to learn more.
This entry was written by Jennifer Cruz-Urbano, Marketing Specialist, and reviewed for accuracy by Faye M. Pais, Assistant Professor of Medicine. Generative AI was leveraged as part of the content creation process.
June 29, 2023
As a lung disease specialist at University of Florida Health, Faye Pais, M.D., has seen the drastic effects myositis has on patients. Inflammation is…
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