Opinion statement
Purpose of Review In dermatomyositis (DM), antibodies have been shown to closely correlate with clinical phenotypes. The focus of this review is to describe the known clinical associations of the different antibodies related to DM.
Recent Findings The DM-specific antibodies include anti-Mi-2, anti-NXP2, anti-TIF1-gamma, anti-MDA5, and anti-SAE. They present with varying levels of skin, muscle, and other target organ involvement. The anti-synthetase antibodies can present as DM, but define a distinct subset displaying other features known as the anti-synthetase syndrome. Anti-PM/Scl, anti-Ro, anti-RNP, and anti-Ku are myositis-associated antibodies that can present as DM as well as other overlap syndromes.
Summary More homogenous subgroups are created by viewing DM through the filter of antibodies. The demonstration of one of these antibodies in a patient suspected of having DM is valuable for informing the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of the disease. As antibody testing becomes more widely available, we expect even better characterization of disease and treatment response based on antibody groups to emerge in the coming years.