Cardiac involvement in newly diagnosed patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies is associated with skeletal muscle involvement
Authors' conclusion
Cardiac involvement as detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is common at time of diagnosis in patients with IIM and is closely linked to the severity of skeletal muscle involvement.
Study context
- Population
- Newly diagnosed patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) undergoing cardiac MRI, skeletal muscle markers and IIM-specific disease features
- Participants
- 34 vs 9
- Exposure
- IIM with vs without cardiac involvement on cardiac MRI
- IIMn = 34
- Healthy controlsn = 9reference
- Outcome
- Disease-related parameters indicating cardiac involvement (cardiac MRI)
- Follow-up
- At diagnosis
Methodological detailsage- and gender-matched healthy controls
- Age- and gender-matched healthy controls
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Cardiac involvement on cardiac MRI in newly diagnosed IIM
| Group | Value | Ongoing myocarditis/perimyocarditis | Ongoing pericarditis | Previous myocarditis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM | 47% | 44% | 25% | 31% |
IIM
Value47%
Ongoing myocarditis/perimyocarditis44%
Ongoing pericarditis25%
Previous myocarditis31%
- Cardiac involvement vs none: more prevalent myositis
- P = 0.018
- Cardiac involvement vs none: higher myoglobin
- P = 0.039
- Cardiac involvement vs none: higher alanine aminotransferase
- P = 0.045
- Cardiac involvement vs none: higher aspartate aminotransferase
- P = 0.005
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Myositis and serum markers of muscle inflammation, cardiac involvement vs none
- More prevalent myositis with cardiac involvement
- P = 0.018
- Higher myoglobin with cardiac involvement
- P = 0.039
- Higher alanine aminotransferase with cardiac involvement
- P = 0.045
- Higher aspartate aminotransferase with cardiac involvement
- P = 0.005
Correlation of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels with skeletal muscle features
- cTnI strongly correlated with myositis (clinical manifestation)
- P = 0.011
- cTnI strongly correlated with creatin kinase
- P = 0.001
- cTnI strongly correlated with myoglobin
- P = 0.001
- cTnI strongly correlated with lactate dehydrogenase
- P = 0.008
- cTnI strongly correlated with aspartate aminotransferase
cTnI levels by CMR finding
- Significantly elevated cTnI in ongoing myocarditis/peri-myocarditis vs ongoing pericarditis
- P = 0.015
- Significantly elevated cTnI in ongoing myocarditis/peri-myocarditis vs previous myocarditis
- P = 0.015
Original publication
Cardiac involvement in newly diagnosed patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies is associated with skeletal muscle involvement. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 24 February 2026. doi:10.
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