Inflammatory Muscle Diseases

Information on Inflammatory Muscle Diseases services.

Diseases covered

Our service covers:

  • Inclusion Body Myositis  (IBM)
  • Inflammatory myopathies (including dermatomyositis and polymyositis)

We provide a service for patients who need complex or intensive immuno-suppression requiring:

  • Monitoring of blood tests by specialist nurses
  • Arrangement of day case infusions of medication
  • Nurse-led outpatient clinics 

We see patients from anywhere in the UK referred by their general practitioner or hospital specialist.

Diagnosis and treatment

The service provides an outpatient clinic (MJP02) every fortnight.

This clinic provides access to an large, experienced team. They include specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and dieticians.

Inflammatory muscle diseases can be a difficult condition to recognise, and secure confident diagnosis relies on both clinical assessment and analysis of a muscle biopsy.

To date, no treatment has been shown to improve the outcome of inflammatory muscle diseases.

The condition is managed by reducing its effects on the patient.

Dr. Pedro Machado runs a monthly Inclusion Body Myositis/Inflammatory Myopathies clinic (MGHPM).

How to refer

Please write to:
Professor Mike Hanna
MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases
Box 102
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Queen Square
London WC1N 3BG

Further information and support

Myositis Support Group

Patient group for those with either inclusion body myositis or inflammatory myopathies.

Muscular Dystrophy UK

More patient information is available for IBM.