Anti-SAE1 Antibodies and Dermatomyositis: A Case Series of Three Patients

Abstract

To date, few patients with anti-SAE1 dermatomyositis (DM) have been described, and usually in large descriptive cohort studies including all DM subtypes. Thus, it is increasingly important to further describe this rare subtype to solidify cutaneous findings, associated symptoms, and potential therapeutic options. Herein, this case series describes three patients with anti-SAE1 DM with respect to their clinical and laboratory findings, and also their response to treatment. All three patients eventually presented with classic cutaneous manifestations of dermatomyositis, however, Case 2 presented initially with cutaneous manifestations not described in the literature. Furthermore, two patients presented with dysphagia, with Case 2 experiencing a life-threatening dysphagia not typically described in the literature. Two of three patients also presented with early signs of interstitial lung disease. Lastly, cutaneous disease was only responsive to immunosuppressants in one patient. Unfortunately, this observational case-series consisted of only three patients, limiting the generalizability of our results. However, this study provides further support of the recalcitrant nature of this DM subtype, and commonly affected extracutaneous systems including the gastrointestinal and pulmonary systems. Larger studies of this patient population are needed to further confirm our associated findings.