other treatments. As of 2016, treatments for amyopathic dermatomyositis in adults did not have a strong evidence base; published treatments included antimalarial medications, steroids, taken or orally or applied to the skin, calcineurin inhibitors applied to the skin, dapsone, intravenous immunoglobulin, methotrexate, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil. None appears to be very effective; among them, intravenous immunoglobulin has had the best outcomes. Prognosis Before the advent of modern treatments such as prednisone, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, chemotherapies, and other drugs, the prognosis was poor. The cutaneous manifestations of dermatomyositis may or may not improve with therapy in parallel with the improvement of the myositis. In some people, the weakness and rash resolve together. In others, the two are not linked, with one or the other being more challenging to control. Often, cutaneous disease persists after adequate control of the muscle disease. The risk of death from the condition is much higher if the heart or lungs are affected. Epidemiology Incidence of DM peaks at ages 40–50, but the disease can affect people of all ages. It tends to affect more women than men. The prevalence of DM ranges from one to 22 per 100,000 people. History The diagnostic criteria were proposed in 1975 and became widely adopted. Amyopathic DM, also called DM sine myositis, was named in 2002. People who died with dermatomyositis Opera singer Maria Callas (1923–1977) allegedly had dermatomyositis from 1975 until her death. Actor Laurence Olivier (1907–1989) had dermatomyositis from 1974 until his death. American football running back Ricky Bell (1955–1984), the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1976, and the number-one pick in the NFL draft in 1977, died at the age of 29 from heart failure caused by this disease. Rob Buckman (1948–2011) a doctor, comedian, author, and the president of the Humanist Association of Canada. Research As of 2016, research was ongoing into causes for DM, as well as biomarkers; clinical trials were ongoing for use of the following drugs in DM: ajulemic acid (Phase II), adrenocorticotropic hormone gel (Phase IV, open label), IMO-8400, an antagonist of Toll-like receptor 7,8 and 9 (Ph II), abatacept (Phase IV, open label), and sodium thiosulfate (Phase II). References External links Autoimmune diseases Connective tissue diseases Disorders of fascia Steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions Systemic connective tissue disorders Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate Wikipedia neurology articles ready to translate Idiopathic diseases