Factors Affecting Survivorship in Polymyositis. A Life‐Table Study of 124 Patients

Abstract Life‐table survivorship of 124 patients with polymyositis from the time of their first hospitalization is presented. Acute pulmonary infiltration, most often after aspiration pneumonia, was the worst prognostic sign. Excluding the latter group, survivorship was significantly reduced among patients with both dysphagia and greater degrees of muscle weakness, among adults 50 years or older and among Negroes. No differences in survivorship were observed between males and females, between polymyositis and dermatomyositis or between those treated with and without corticosteroids.