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Enzyme Therapy for Polymyositis

Polymyositis is a rare connective tissue disease in which the main symptoms are muscle inflammation and weakness. Most specifically, the weakness is to skeletal muscles which are integral to movement. The treatment does not reverse the disease, but assuages the symptoms. Enzyme therapy is utilized as one method of treatment.

  1. Polymyositis

    • Polymyositis occurs gradually over a period of weeks and months, usually affecting those in their 30s to 50s and women more than men. The disease is characterized by muscle inflammation that weakens the skeletal muscles and eventually inhibits movement. Treatment alleviates the symptoms but does not cure the disease. Spontaneous remission is rare and the main goal of treatment is to increase muscle strength and function. Polymyositis is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's muscles. In cases where other therapies are ineffective or harmful, immunoglobulin has proven effective. A main treatment for polymyositis is corticosteroids, as this classification of drugs suppresses the immune system, reduce inflammation and improves muscle strength.

    Enzyme Therapy

    • Enzyme therapy is another course of treatment that can be used in conjunction with corticosteroids. This is also utilized when corticosteroids are ineffective. The therapy involves intravenous immunoglobulin, also known as IVIg. Immunoglobulin is procured from healthy donors and contains healthy antibodies. They improve clinical and immunologic characteristics of the disease. When administered in high doses intravenously, this enzyme treatment can decrease production of the antibodies attacking the muscles and block the already present damaging antibodies that cause polymyositis. The improvement to the condition can be seen after the first infusion and noticeably evident after the second infusion. After two or three treatments without improvement, the success rate of this treatment is significantly reduced. This treatment is considered safe and effective but is expensive and to maintain the benefit must be repeated periodically.

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