IMMUNE-MEDIATED CONDITIONS AND ANTIBODIES ASSOCIATED WITH SPORADIC INCLUSION-BODY MYOSITIS

We reviewed 99 patients with sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM), s earching for a coexisting autoimmune disease, other conditions with al tered immune function, or the presence of autoantibodies. Thirteen pat ients had one or more of 11 diseases with altered immune function. For ty-three patients had elevated titers of one or more of nine different , albeit nondisease-specific, autoantibodies. Twenty-five patients had dysproteinemia or dysproteinuria. We conclude that IBM is frequently associated with systemic immune disorders or nonspecific autoantibodie s. Although aging may explain some of these phenomena, an altered immu ne function need to be considered in the pathogenesis of IBM. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.