An observational study in Dermatomyositis, Polymyositis and Inclusion Body Myositis, sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Recruiting at 4 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 2 Years to 100 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-24.
Sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) · Observational
This study will evaluate subjects with adult- and childhood-onset myositis to learn more about their cause and the immune system changes and medical problems associated with them. Myositis is an inflammatory muscle disease that can damage muscles and other organs, resulting in significant disability.
Children or adults with polymyositis or dermatomyositis or a related condition may be evaluated under this study. Healthy children or adults will also be enrolled as "controls," for comparison of test results.
All patients will undergo a complete history (including completing some questionnaires) and physical examination, review of medical records, and blood and urine tests. Patients may then choose to participate in an additional 1- to 5-day evaluation, which will include some or all of the following diagnostic, treatment or research procedures:
All patients may have only a one-time evaluation or may return for one follow-up evaluations (either the 1-day or 3- to 5-day evaluation) over a 1-year period.
Healthy children will undergo a medical history and brief physical examination; blood and urine tests; speech and swallowing studies including questionnaires and physical examination, tongue strength, and ultrasound study; and bioelectric impedance testing. Children 8 to 18 years old may also have exercise testing.
This study will evaluate subjects with adult- and childhood-onset myositis to learn more about their cause and the immune system changes and medical problems associated with them. Myositis is an inflammatory muscle disease that can damage muscles and other organs, resulting in significant disability.
Children or adults with polymyositis or dermatomyositis or a related condition may be evaluated under this study. Healthy children or adults will also be enrolled as "controls," for comparison of test results.
All patients will undergo a complete history (including completing some questionnaires) and physical examination, review of medical records, and blood and urine tests. Patients may then choose to participate in an additional 1- to 5-day evaluation, which will include some or all of the following diagnostic, treatment or research procedures:
All patients may have only a one-time evaluation or may return for one follow-up evaluations (either the 1-day or 3- to 5-day evaluation) over a 1-year period.
Healthy children will undergo a medical history and brief physical examination; blood and urine tests; speech and swallowing studies including questionnaires and physical examination, tongue strength, and ultrasound study; and bioelectric impedance testing. Children 8 to 18 years old may also have exercise testing.
184 studies on the registry are indexed under Dermatomyositis; 63 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 1,200 is above the median of 179 across 45 observational studies indexed under Dermatomyositis.
Browse Dermatomyositis studies →National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is the lead sponsor of 183 studies on the registry; 18 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
1- Any patient who has documented evidence that he/she meets criteria for an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy; 2- Any patient who has been diagnosed with inflammatory/non-inflammatory myopathies, mimicking and related skin disorders, disorders of complications of myositis, overlapping autoimmune diseases that may be associated with myositis, patients with muscle and/or skin inflammation and documented environmental exposures, patients with myositis or complications of myositis and suspected genetic disorders, patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease, patients with signs or symptoms of myositis or laboratory abnormalities who do not have an established diagnosis of myositis for them to be evaluated to establish a diagnosis; 3- Close relatives of patients with at least one first-degree relative affected with IIIM (affected or unaffected siblings, children, parents, grandparents) can participate in the genetics portion of the protocol; 4- Healthy control subjects.
Patients with Myositis:
Inclusion Criteria:
All patients should have age range 2-100 years.
All Patients admitted to the study must satisfy at least one of the following criteria among item 1 (A or B or C) OR item 2 (A or B or C) AND item 3:
Patient has documented evidence that he/she meets criteria for an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy
A. Possible, probable or definite adult or juvenile polymyositis or dermatomyositis by Bohan and Peter criteria
B. Possible, probable or definite inclusion body myositis by Griggs and/or ENMC criteria
C. Has an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy that does not meet these criteria, including common or rarer forms of myositis such as cancer- associated, focal, orbital, eosinophilic myositis, macrophagic, proliferative, etc.
2A. Have a disorder that is related to an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, that may include:
Patients with signs or symptoms of myositis (such as weakness, skin rashes, interstitial lung disease) or laboratory abnormalities (such as elevated CK or muscle with myopathic features) who do not have an established diagnosis of myositis for them to be evaluated to establish a diagnosis
3. Ability of patient or parent/guardian to give to all or part of the study after full information has been provided.
Exclusion Criteria:
For females of who are pregnant, they will be permitted to enroll, but would be excluded from radiographic procedures involving radiation or greater than minimal risk procedures, including obtaining biopsies.
Relatives of Patients with Myositis:
For patients with at least one first-degree relative affected with IIIM, all available first-degree relatives (affected and unaffected) are eligible to participate in the genetics portion of the protocol. For patients in which two or more first degree relatives are affected with myositis, any available close relatives (affected or unaffected parents, siblings or children, as well as grandparents and grandchildren, or other close relatives, when available) are eligible to participate in the genetics portion of the protocol.
Inclusion criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
If Any "Yes" answer patient is not eligible for study
In IMAGE Survey participants must confirm in the survey that they have a medical diagnosis of myositis.
Note that the following screening activities may be performed to determine subject eligibility:
If a participant is ineligible and willing, their contact information- including name, phone numbers, emails, best times to reach, and potential diagnosis- may be shared with other NIH investigators if the participant may be eligible to participate in those studies.
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Healthy subject who has not received anti-inflammatory medications and should not has undergone surgery or any major trauma within the 8 weeks prior to enrollment.
Patient should have documented evidence that he/she meets criteria for an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM)
Patients with other myopathies/autoimmune diseases/complications similar to myositis patients. Close relatives of IIM patients (affected or unaffected siblings, children, parents, grandparents)
Physician Global Assessment Form
1- A secure internet accessible IMACS Outcomes Data Repository of core set disease activity, damage and quality of life measures has been established for adult and juvenile myositis patients as part of IMACS. 2- Compare the clinical and immunopathogenic features of childhood and adult IIM to determine the differences of IIM in these two populations referred to NIH 3- investigate the immunopathogenesis and immunogenetics of IIM.
Time frame: At enrollment and each study visit
Not enrolling at this site.
Not enrolling at this site.
Plan to share: No
Started Jun 1995 (actual).
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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