Stem Cell Therapy
Inclusion body myositis is an inflammatory disease of the muscle. Some of the features include the gradual and progressive wasting and weakening of the muscles of both the upper and lower limbs. There are two types of inclusion body myositis, these are sporadic inclusion body myositis, and the hereditary inclusion boy myopathy. The sporadic inclusion body myositis is the more common of the two types. In addition, two processes occur in the sporadic body myositis. These are autoimmunity, and degeneration of the muscles. One of the most common symptoms of the inclusion body myositis is the progressive weakness of the muscles of the arms and legs. This process is usually slow, and can sometimes take from months to years. It has been observed that this process occurs more in men than women. The daily activities of people affected by this disease become severely impaired. Majority of these set of people need assistance, which could come from friends, relatives or professional caregivers. Sporadic inclusion body myositis is not seen as a fatal disease by itself, however, the risk of injuries due to falls makes the disease something to be adequately well managed. Dysphagia is another symptom that is common to the two types of inclusion body myositis. There is no effective treatment for this disease yet. Although the signs and symptoms can be managed, and the life of the patient can be made more comfortable. Physicians can buy stem cells online that can be used for the treatment of inclusion body myositis.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Inclusion Body Myositis?
The signs and symptoms of inclusion body myositis vary in people. However, there are some common signs and symptoms, regardless of the onset of the disease or other circumstance. Muscle weakness which is usually gradual and progressive is one of the most common symptoms of inclusion body myositis. The first set of muscles to be affected are the thigh muscles, the quadriceps, and also the set of muscles in the arm that control flexion. Other symptoms include regular falling, difficulty in climbing staircases, difficulty manipulating the fingers. The patient might find it difficult buttoning their shirts, or turning the knob of doors, and so on. Some patients do also complain of muscle pain, especially in their thighs. In addition, dysphagia is another common symptom of inclusion body myositis. Dysphagia can be described as a condition in which an individual has difficulty in swallowing. This might lead to death, as a result of aspiration pneumonia. According to statistics, dysphagia occurs in about 85% of inclusion body myositis cases. Eventually, people affected by this disease might have to rely on a walking stick, or a walker, to perform the movement.
What Are The Causes Of Inclusion Body Myositis?
The exact cause of inclusion body myositis is not known yet, however, it is believed that it is caused by an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Below are some of the factors that can cause inclusion body myositis;
- Infection: Microorganisms are one of the most common causes of inclusion body myositis. Viral infections have been identified as the most common infection that causes this disease. It is uncommon for other microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and another organism to cause this disease. Viral disease such as common cold, flu, and even HIV are the most prevalent causes of this disease.
- Medications: Drugs are also capable of causing muscle damage, and eliciting inclusion body myositis. Some of the drugs that could cause induce the development of this disease include statins, colchicine, cocaine, and alcohol. This disease may start shortly after taking the medications, and they might also occur after a prolonged use of the drugs.
- Injury: Prolonged and vigorous exercise can also be a trigger for this disease. This generally causes myositis, and can also be a trigger for the development of inclusion body myositis.
- Genetics: Sporadic inclusion body myositis cannot be inherited, or passed down from parents to children. However, there are some genes that seem to predispose individuals to get affected by inclusion body myositis. There have been some rare forms of hereditary inclusion body myositis that can be passed on from one generation to another. However, since they do present as inflammation, they’re not classified as myositis.
How Is Inclusion Body Myositis Diagnosed?
The inclusion body myositis is diagnosed by checking the level of some enzymes in the body. Examples of these enzymes include creatine kinase. The level of creatine kinase in people affected by inclusion body myositis is usually ten times more than the amount found in healthy people. However, people affected by the disease can also present with a normal level of creatine kinase. In addition, a biopsy is also done to confirm the diagnosis. Inflammatory cells invading muscle cells, vacuolar degeneration, as well as plaques of abnormal proteins are found on the biopsy of affected persons. Lastly, another method of diagnosing the disease is by testing for the presence of antibodies to cytoplasmic 5-nucleotidase. This antibody has been strongly associated with inclusion body myositis.
How Is Inclusion Body Myositis Currently Treated?
There is no exact treatment for inclusion body myositis, however, the progression of the disease can be delayed or slowed down. Sporadic inclusion body myositis patients do not respond well to medications such as immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory drugs. The effective way of managing the disease is through symptomatic treatment. It’s important to prevent falling, as people affected by this disease are prone to falling down. This could be done by conducting special exercise for the patient, or some sort of physiotherapy sessions, to exercise the muscles.
Stem Cell Therapy And Inclusion Body Myositis
A study conducted some years ago showed that stem cells, especially hematopoietic stem cells can be used to regenerate and rejuvenate the strength and power in the muscles of those affected by inclusion body myositis. Scientists are working on ways to make stem cell therapy a treatment option in the future, and even soon.
References
Eriksson, M. and Lindberg, C. (2012). Hand Function in 45 Patients with Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis. Occupational Therapy International, 19(2), pp.108-116.
Karpati, G. (1997). INCLUSION BODY MYOSITIS. The Neurologist, 3(4), pp.201-208.
Mozaffar, T., Lavian, M. and Goyal, N. (2015). Sporadic inclusion body myositis misdiagnosed as granulomatous myositis. Neuromuscular Disorders, 25, pp.S239-S240.
Prayson, R. and Cohen, M. (1997). Ubiquitin immunostaining and inclusion body myositis: Study of 30 patients with inclusion body myositis. Human Pathology, 28(8), pp.887-892.
