- Autoimmune d/o affecting muscles
- Slowly progressive
- Weakness w/o pain
- No sensory impairment
- Typically symmetric
- Distal > proximal, in particular finger flexors (grip) and quadriceps (difficulty getting out of chairs, falls)
- ~50% ultimately w/dysphagia
- 20+% assoc w/connective tissue d/o
- Progressive weakness, often finger flexors and quadriceps first
- Atrophy of affected muscles
- Distal > proximal
- Reflexes diminish w/disease progression
- Elevated CK and aldolase
- Often LDH, ast/alt, ANA elevated