features of childhood disease
Last reviewed 10/2022
Special features in children include:
- arteritis:
- uncommonly glomerulonephritis and retinopathy
- calcification:
- in two-thirds of cases - skin, fascia, subcutaneous tissue and fat, but not muscle
- arthritis and dysphagia more common than in adults
- ESR not elevated in approximately half of cases
- malignancy:
- is not associated with childhood dermatomyositis
- may be associated with adult dermatomyositis