Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), including dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and inclusion-body myositis, can be difficult to diagnose.
To determine if a multiplex immunoassay for markers of inflammation in muscle homogenates correlates with a diagnosis of IIM.
Frozen archived muscle biopsy specimens from 30 patients with IIM and 34 patients without IIM were homogenized and analyzed for cytokine content with a multiplex microbead-based immunoassay system. Analyte concentrations were normalized to total lysate protein concentration prior to comparison.
Two cytokines, interleukin 1ra and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and 1 soluble adhesion molecule, intracellular adhesion molecule 1, were found at significantly greater concentrations in muscle samples from patients with IIM. Intracellular adhesion molecule 1 levels alone were 83% sensitive and 91% specific for IIM at a cutoff of 1240 pg/mg muscle protein.
Immunoassays for selected inflammatory markers can serve in conjunction with histopathologic analysis as sensitive and specific tools for the diagnosis of IIM.