What is the Myositis Panel?

The Myositis Panel is a blood test that measures a group of myositis-specific and myositis-associated autoantibodieslinked to autoimmune inflammatory muscle disorders. These conditions cause immune-mediated damage to skeletal muscle and may also affect the skin, lungs, joints, and other organs.

Identifying the antibody pattern helps distinguish between different forms of myositis, assess disease behaviour, and guide further investigation. The panel is used alongside clinical findings, muscle enzymes, imaging, and sometimes biopsy.

Why do I need a Myositis Panel?

Inflammatory muscle disease can present with subtle or non-specific symptoms and may be mistaken for other neuromuscular or rheumatological conditions. Antibody testing helps clarify the diagnosis.

You may need this test if you experience:

• Progressive muscle weakness (especially shoulders or hips)

• Difficulty climbing stairs or lifting objects

• Muscle pain or tenderness

• Skin rashes suggestive of dermatomyositis

• Unexplained raised creatine kinase (CK)

• Breathlessness or suspected interstitial lung disease

• Features of overlap autoimmune disease

• Poor response to standard muscle treatments

The test helps determine whether symptoms are autoimmune in origin and supports targeted follow-up.

Benefits of the test

1. Supports diagnosis of inflammatory myositis
   Identifies autoimmune muscle involvement.

2. Differentiates myositis subtypes
   Antibody patterns help define disease type.

3. Guides further investigations
   Supports imaging, lung assessment, or biopsy decisions.

4. Identifies overlap autoimmune disease
   Useful when symptoms involve multiple systems.

5. Improves diagnostic confidence
   Reduces uncertainty in complex cases.

6. Simple blood-based testing
   Requires only one blood sample.

7. Widely used in rheumatology and neurology
   Standard autoimmune muscle assessment.

8. Supports monitoring and risk assessment
   Some antibodies correlate with disease features.

Step-by-step: How we offer testing

Clinic-based testing (UK-wide)

• Choose your nearest UK clinic

• Attend your appointment

• Blood sample taken by a clinician

• Sample sent to the laboratory

• Results issued once analysis is complete

Home or hotel visit (+£60, UK-wide)

• Mobile phlebotomist attends your location

• Blood sample taken at home or hotel

• Sample securely transported to the laboratory

Your results explained

Negative panel

• No myositis-related autoantibodies detected

• Makes autoimmune myositis less likely

• Does not completely exclude disease

Low-level or single antibody positive

• One antibody detected at low level

• May indicate early, mild, or overlap disease

• Requires interpretation with symptoms and CK levels

Multiple or high-positive antibodies

• Strong antibody positivity

• Supports diagnosis of inflammatory myositis

• May indicate specific subtype or organ involvement

Results should always be interpreted alongside clinical findings and other investigations.