Too sudden! 19-year-old actress died of illness! Just diagnosed with a rare disease 10 days ago

In the Indian movie "Dangal"

Suhani Bhatnagar, who plays "Little Babita" in

Admitted to hospital on February 7 due to illness

After rescue

Died on February 16, local time

Suhani's death at the age of 19 sparked widespread mourning

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's company issued a statement

No Suhani

There will always be a part missing from Dangal

She will live forever in people's hearts

Suhani's family revealed in an interview that just two months ago, their daughter's hands had red spots and swelling. At first, the family thought it was nothing serious, but soon after, the swelling spread throughout the body. They consulted many doctors in different hospitals, but the cause of the disease could not be found.

Ten days before Suhani's death, on February 7, Suhani was rushed to the hospital because her condition continued to deteriorate. She was eventually diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease "dermatomyositis", which causes rash and muscle weakness.

What is dermatomyositis?

Dermatomyositis is a group of autoimmune diseases that mainly affect the skin and muscles. It can cause damage to multiple internal organs or only affect the skin or muscles.

It is characterized by unique skin lesions (such as edematous purple-red macules, purple-red papules on the extensor side of the knuckles, and poikiloderma) and muscle weakness .

(Image source: Tencent Medical Dictionary)

How common is dermatomyositis in the general population?

The disease can occur at any age, with two peaks in childhood and between the ages of 40 and 60. The ratio of male to female patients is about 1:2.

Polymyositis mainly occurs in adults over 18 years old, rarely in children, and more often occurs in women than in men.

What are the typical symptoms of dermatomyositis?

Skin damage

• Purple-red patches on the eyelids: Edema purple-red patches centered on the upper eyelids may affect the forehead, scalp, cheeks, and V-shaped area on the chest, and have a high diagnostic specificity.

• Gottron's pits: Flat purple pits on the extensor side of the knuckles and metacarpophalangeal joints (i.e. one side of the back of the hand), usually symmetrically distributed, with bran-like scales attached to the surface. After the lesions subside, skin atrophy, capillary dilation and hypopigmentation may remain.

•Polychromia: Brown pigmentation, punctate depigmentation, punctate keratosis, mild skin atrophy, capillary dilation, etc. gradually appear on the face, neck, and upper chest on the basis of erythematous scales.

Muscle damage

• Symmetrical muscle weakness, pain and tenderness are common. The most commonly affected muscle groups are the proximal muscles of the limbs, shoulder girdle muscles, neck and throat muscles, with corresponding symptoms such as raising hands, squatting, climbing stairs, raising the head, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness.

•In the acute phase, the affected muscles may swell, and in severe cases the patient may be bedridden and completely lose autonomous movement.

(Image source: Tencent Medical Dictionary)

At present, medicine cannot completely cure dermatomyositis , but if it can be detected early and the patient actively cooperates with professional doctors to receive standardized treatment, the condition can be controlled and the patient can gradually return to normal life .

What should patients pay attention to?

Because the skin lesions are more sensitive to sunlight, patients with dermatomyositis should wear sun-protective clothing or apply sunscreen when going out. Under the guidance of a physical therapist, moderate exercise should be performed to maintain and improve muscle strength and flexibility.

If chewing and swallowing dysfunction gradually worsens, the diet structure needs to be adjusted to focus on foods that are easy to swallow .

In addition, pay attention to daily observation of the extent of skin lesions, color changes, muscle weakness and myalgia , and regularly test changes in serum muscle enzymes.