Antisynthetase Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is a subcategory of Myositis, which means muscle disease. There are many different areas that Antisynthetase Syndrome affects, however, a few common ones are the muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, and joint pain.
While the symptoms of Antisynthetase Syndrome vary greatly from patient to patient, the most common symptoms are muscle weakness, joint pain, and lung inflammation.
Because patients present with Antisynthetase Syndrome very differently, a diagnosis is often hard to make. The antibodies that a patient makes is necessary to know to diagnose and treat Antisynthetase properly, so a lot of testing is involved.
Treatment for Antisynthetase Syndrome depends on the symptoms the patient has, but always helps to calm down an overactive nervous system. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Mecoli, a physician in the Johns Hopkins Division of Rheumatology, discusses the treatment options for patients with Antisynthetase Syndrome.
It’s very important for people who have Antisynthetase Syndrome to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Depending on the symptoms, it may be hard for patients to exercise without pain, so going to physical or occupational therapy can be very helpful in strengthening the muscles.
