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The aim of the investigation was to establish if the finding of immunoserologic and pathohistologic parameters of the altered humoral immune response in patients with dermatopolymyositis was associated with the occurrence of more severe clinical patterns of the diseases followed by general symptoms and the affection of visceral organs. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative prediction of immunologic parameters of the disease were determined compared to the occurrence of certain systemic manifestations of the disease. Significant (80-100%) correlation of systemic manifestations with the altered immunoserologic and histopathologic parameters of the disease was confirmed, so that it could be assumed that pathologic humoral response had a significant role in the onset of systemic manifestations during dermatopolymyositis. Predictive value of indicators was of the utmost importance. If the increased values of immune complexes, vasculitis in the muscle and the other cited indicators of the altered humoral response were confirmed in a patient, more severe course of the disease could be expected, which was of practical value for the planning of therapeutic approach, estimation of the disease course and its prognosis.

Dermatomyositis and polymyositis are the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies of autoimmune origin. Apart from muscle weakness, general symptoms such as the affection of visceral organs and altered indicators of humeral immunity occur in a minority of patients. The aim of the study was to establish whether the systemic manifestations of the disease, altered immunoserologic parameters and findings of muscle vasculitis occurred more frequently in patients with dermatomyositis or polymyositis. The frequency of clinic, serologic and histopathologic alterations in the groups of patients with dermatomyositis and polymyositis was determined. In order to determine the degree and importance of the frequency, the following parameters were calculated: the relative rations of frequencies and the importance of the difference in frequencies of particular alterations between the groups of patients. It was found that extramuscular manifestations of the disease such as arthritis, pulmonary, cardiac and renal changes, the increased activity of C3 and C4 complement components as well as vasculitis of muscle and skin tissue occurred more frequently in patients with dermatomyositis. This finding indicates that patients with DM, regardless of the degree of muscular affection, may have a more severe clinical course of the disease and a poor prognosis.