European Journal of Rheumatology
Case Report

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonitis accompanied by anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive amyopathic dermatomyositis

1.

Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nephrology and Rheumatology, Kochi University Medical School, Kochi, Japan

2.

Department of Rheumatology, Misato Bay Side Medical Center, Kochi, Japan

3.

Department of Rheumatology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan

4.

Department of Rheumatology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan

Eur J Rheumatol 2015; 2: 83-85
DOI: 10.5152/eurjrheum.2015.0076
Read: 2239 Downloads: 1080 Published: 03 September 2019

Abstract

Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM) associated with rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonitis (RPIP) frequently has a poor prognosis and optimal treatment is not well defined. Here, we report a 62-year-old Japanese man with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive ADM associated with RPIP presented with progressive shortness of breath, Heliotrope rash, Gottron’s papules, arthralgia, and fatigue but no sign of muscle weakness. Laboratory investigation revealed serum levels of the following biomarkers: ferritin, 1393 ng/mL; Krebs von der Lungen-6, 1880 U/mL; and creatine kinase, 85 U/L. Computed tomography (CT) images showed diffuse ground-glass opacity in both lung fields. Because anti-MDA5 was positive, we made a diagnosis of ADM associated with RPIP and initiated treatment. Following five courses of combination therapy with prednisolone, cyclosporine A, and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY), IVCY treatment was switched to high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg) because of the reactivation of interstitial pneumonia with an increased serum ferritin level. Additional treatment with IVIg improved RPIP, with normalization of anti-ADM antibody levels. Therefore, IVIg mayt be a new candidate treatment for anti-MDA5 antibody-positive ADM associated with RPIP.

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EISSN 2148-4279