Background Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare childhood autoimmune inflammatory muscle disorder that can result in severe disability or death. Calcinosis is a unique and a poorly understood long-term complication of JDM (1). Calcinosis can present in various forms like nodular calcinosis, tumoral deposits, calcinosis universalis.

Objectives We present here the images of calcinosis in children with JDM

Methods All children diagnosed to have JDM and registered in Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, were evaluated for presence of calcinosis. Consent was taken from patients or caregivers

Results A total of 36 patients were evaluated. Twelve (33.33%) patients had calcinosis (Fig 1). Interestingly, 4 children had calcinosis at the time of diagnosis

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Figure 1.

Calcinosis in children with JDM. Radiographs showing Calcinosis in children with JDM

Conclusions Calcinosis is a distinct complication of JDM which is uncommon in inflammatory myopathies in adults (2). Calcinosis can be disabling and disfiguring. It may not be obviously visible in all patients and radiographs help reveal the extent of involvement.

References

1. Tansley SL, McHugh NJ, Wedderburn LR. Adult and juvenile dermatomyositis: are the distinct clinical features explained by our current understanding of serological subgroups and pathogenic mechanisms? Arthritis Res. Ther. 2013;15:211.

2. Robinson AB, Reed AM. Clinical features, pathogenesis and treatment of juvenile and adult dermatomyositis. Nat. Rev. Rheumatol. 2011;7:664–75.

References

Disclosure of Interest None declared