Features Research
Funding provided to shorten lengthy diagnosis time for myositis

Myositis involves inflammation or swelling of the muscle tissue that can result in rapid and tragic muscle loss. This can be caused by infection, injury, certain medicines, exercise, and chronic disease.

The research grant was awarded to Dr. Marie Hudson, physician-scientist at the Jewish General Hospital and associate professor at McGill University, and Dr. Giovanni Di Battista, professor at McGill University in Montreal.

The study, “Quantitative/Qualitative Proteomic Analysis of Inflammatory Myopathy with Mitochondrial Pathology and Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis,” is a pilot project focused on the proteome of muscle biopsies from highly selected patients with autoimmune myositis. The project will use state-of-the-art technology and bioinformatic tools to identify biomarkers that could be used to improve the diagnosis process.

“Myositis Canada envisions a world where myositis is quickly and accurately diagnosed and where successful treatments are in place. Many doctors across Canada see very few cases of myositis and often patients go undiagnosed for upwards of five years, or are misdiagnosed which leads to complications, and inefficient spending of health care dollars,” a statement from Myositis Canada said.

Myositis Canada was formed in 2015 to raise awareness, encourage research and provide support to those suffering from this rare disease.

The organization hopes the results of the study in one year’s time will lead to further funding and studies of biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of therapeutic response. Patients, caregivers and supporters of those with myositis will benefit long-term from the knowledge generated by this research, the statement said.

Please visit myositis.ca for more information.

There are a number of types of myositis, including dermatomyositis, inclusion-body myositis, juvenile forms of myositis, and polymyositis.

There are currently treatments for all forms of myositis except for inclusion-body myositis. The other forms of myositis can be treated but only about 20 per cent of people affected make a full recovery, and flare-ups are common over the span of a lifetime.