Interstitial lung disease in polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

An increased frequency of diffuse interstitial lung disease (DILD) was found in 7 of 15 cases of polymyositis and dermatomyositis seen in a 7-yr period. Affected patients had higher values of creatine phosphokinase and aldolase and more severe muscle necrosis than 8 patients with DILD. Early corticosteroid therapy sufficient to normalize enzymes apparently led to better resolutions of DILD. Active muscle necrosis seemed to be related to the development of DILD.