Inclusion body myositis is a disease causing the muscles to become thin and weak. It was first recognised as a disease in its own right in the 1960s. It's not known how many people in the UK are affected and it is sufficiently rare that most general practitioners will not have cared for patients with inclusion body myositis, and many will not have heard of the condition.

Inclusion body myositis is a slowly progressive condition that causes a gradual deterioration of the strength of limb muscles. The most commonly affected are the thigh muscles and forearm muscles (that flex the wrists and fingers) which is why people with inclusion body myositis often have difficulty climbing stairs, and a weak grip.

The heart, eyes, gut and bladder are not usually affected, nor does the condition affect the brain functions or speech. People with inclusion body myositis do not generally die of the disease but most find they suffer some degree of disability as the disease progresses.

It is not known what causes inclusion body myositis. In some families the condition is inherited. More commonly though the onset is sporadic. Several theories exist as to the cause but there is no conclusive evidence to support them and so research in this area continues.

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