[Dysphagia] dermatomyositis

[eripley at yahoo.com (Irene Campbell-Taylor)]

There is a good general article at:
  
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20011101/1565.pdf
   
  and material on the related esophageal dysfunction at:
   
  http://www.gerd.com/articles/abstracts/411.htm
   
  A cancer is often associated although it may be occult. Has any been identified in this case?
  
L S <jsaunt@hotmail.com> wrote:
        
We have had a referral of a gentleman who has been diagnosed with dermatomyositis.  He demonstrates severe dysphagia, which on the Modified Barium Swallow Study looked like the swallow of a patient with Wallenberg's syndrome.  I have been discussing the patient's case with the physicians as well as researching a bit on the internet, and it sounds like we can expect a very slow recovery both in general and specific to the dysphagia.  I have to be honest in saying that I am not familiar with this diagnosis which is apparently fairly uncommon.
  I found the posts on this list serve from 2002 regarding dysphagia in dermomyositis which confirm what I'm learning and seeing.  My instinct was that swallowing exercises would not be helpful and that waiting until the benefits from steroid and/or IVIG treatment kick in.  Now I see that exercises are actually contraindicated (presumably due to muscle fatigue similar to some other neurological processes like MS and Guillian Barre).
  I just thought I'd ask if anyone knows of anything new or any other suggested treatment specific to the dysphagia.  If not, I plan to follow the patient to periodically reassess the recovery of swallow function.  Your experiences and suggestions are welcome.  
  Thanks so much,
  Leslie Stern, MA/CCC SLP





Dr I Campbell-Taylor
Clinical Neuroscientist
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