Use of Rituximab for Dermatomyositis Over Conventional Therapy: A Case Report

We present a case of a woman hospitalized with a known history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. She was referred from a local public district hospital in Richards Bay (KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa) to a tertiary/academic hospital, where her clinical assessment suggested inflammatory myositis. Initially, she presented with a progressively worsening skin rash and proximal muscle weakness. The rash began as red lesions that later healed with pigmentation, primarily in sun‐exposed areas. Two weeks after these initial symptoms, she developed scalp hair loss. Her condition eventually deteriorated to the extent that she became bed‐bound. A skin biopsy showed dermatomyositis, and a subsequent muscle biopsy confirmed the disease’s typical features. Treatment with rituximab led to improvements in both creatine kinase levels and muscle strength, suggesting its effectiveness in managing her condition.