Skip to main content
PMC home page
Archives of Disease in Childhood logoLink to Archives of Disease in Childhood
. 1976 Jul;51(7):494–500. doi: 10.1136/adc.51.7.494

Treatment of dermatomyositis in childhood.

V Dubowitz
PMCID: PMC1546029  PMID: 962360

Abstract

Analysis of the response to corticosteroid therapy in a personal series of 8 consecutive cases of dermatomyositis in childhood shows that there are advantages in a moderate dosage, short-term treatment schedule, with gradual tapering of the dosage as soon as there is clinical improvement without waiting for full remission, and in trying to stop steroid therapy within six months rather than following the more prolonged regimen currently still in vogue. Clinical response is a more reliable guide to progress than serum enzyme levels. Review of published reports suggests that overtreatment with corticosteroids may be a factor in chronicity of the disease and failure of adequate long-term response.

Full text

PDF
497

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BITNUM S., DAESCHNER C. W., Jr, TRAVIS L. B., DODGE W. F., HOPPS H. C. DERMATOMYOSITIS. J Pediatr. 1964 Jan;64:101–131. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(64)80325-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Banker B. Q. Dermatomyostis of childhood, ultrastructural alteratious of muscle and intramuscular blood vessels. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1975 Jan;34(1):46–75. doi: 10.1097/00005072-197501000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Banker B. Q., Victor M. Dermatomyositis (systemic angiopathy) of childhood. Medicine (Baltimore) 1966 Jul;45(4):261–289. doi: 10.1097/00005792-196607000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. COOK C. D., ROSEN F. S., BANKER B. Q. DERMATOMYOSITIS AND FOCAL SCLERODERMA. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1963 Nov;10:979–1016. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(16)31477-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Currie S., Saunders M., Knowles M., Brown A. E. Immunological aspects of polymyositis. The in vitro activity of lymphocytes on incubation with muscle antigen and with muscle cultures. Q J Med. 1971 Jan;40(157):63–84. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dawkins R. L., Mastaglia F. L. Cell-mediated cytotoxicity to muscle in polymyositis. Effect of immunosuppression. N Engl J Med. 1973 Mar 1;288(9):434–438. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197303012880903. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Haas D. C., Arnason B. G. Cell-mediated immunity in polymyositis. Creatine phosphokinase release from muscle cultures. Arch Neurol. 1974 Sep;31(3):192–196. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1974.00490390074008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Haas D. C. Treatment of polymyositis with immunosuppressive drugs. Neurology. 1973 Jan;23(1):55–62. doi: 10.1212/wnl.23.1.55. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hill R. H., Wood W. S. Juvenile dermatomyositis. Can Med Assoc J. 1970 Nov 21;103(11):1152–1156. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Johnson R. L., Fink C. W., Ziff M. Lymphotoxin formation by lymphocytes and muscle in polymyositis. J Clin Invest. 1972 Sep;51(9):2435–2449. doi: 10.1172/JCI107057. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kakulas B. A., Shute G. H., Leclere A. L. In vitro destruction of human foetal muscle cultures by peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with polymyositis and lupus erythematosus. Proc Aust Assoc Neurol. 1971;8:85–92. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. MULLER S. A., WINKELMANN R. K., BRUNSTING L. A. Calcinosis in dermatomyositis; observations on course of disease in children and adults. AMA Arch Derm. 1959 Jun;79(6):669–673. doi: 10.1001/archderm.1959.01560180043013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Miller J. J., 3rd Late progression in dermatomyositis in childhood. J Pediatr. 1973 Oct;83(4):543–548. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(73)80212-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Roget J., Rambaud P., Frappat P., Joannard A. La dermatomyosite de l'enfant. Etude de 22 observations. Pediatrie. 1971 Jul-Aug;26(5):471–490. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Rose A. L. Childhood polymyositis. A follow-up study with special reference to treatment with corticosteroids. Am J Dis Child. 1974 Apr;127(4):518–522. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1974.02110230064009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Schaller J. G. Dermatomyositis. J Pediatr. 1973 Oct;83(4):699–702. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(73)80252-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Sullivan D. B., Cassidy J. T., Petty R. E., Burt A. Prognosis in childhood dermatomyositis. J Pediatr. 1972 Apr;80(4):555–563. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(72)80050-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Thieffry S., Arthuis M., Martin C., Sorrel-Dejerine J., Benhamida M. Dermatomyosite de l'enfant. Etude de huit cas personnels. Ann Pediatr (Paris) 1967 Aug-Sep;14(8):554–578. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Vignos P. J., Jr, Goldwyn J. Evaluation of laboratory tests in diagnosis and management of polymyositis. Am J Med Sci. 1972 Apr;263(4):291–308. doi: 10.1097/00000441-197204000-00012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. WEDGWOOD R. J., COOK C. D., COHEN J. Dermatomyositis; report of 26 cases in children with a discussion of endocrine therapy in 13. Pediatrics. 1953 Oct;12(4):447–466. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES