There are multiple causes for muscle weakness and therefore the diagnosis of IBM is often delayed by some period of time. Patients with IBM will usually be suspected when they have slowly progressive muscle weakness associated with elevated levels of muscles enzymes seen on blood tests. These tests can be either an elevated creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) or an elevated aldolase. In addition EMG/ Nerve Conduction Studies will reveal evidence for a muscle disease. The specific diagnosis, however, cannot be made without a muscle biopsy. This is very important because IBM can look like polymyositis or even adult onset muscular dystrophies. Therefore all patient’s should have a muscle biopsy. Unfortunately at present there is no known cause for this disease.

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