[Pediatric dermatomyositis. Apropos of 28 cases]

The authors report 28 cases of juvenile dermatomyositis. Bohan and Peter criteria were fulfilled in all cases. All children received a treatment with prednisone as soon as diagnosis was established. Five patients (18%) died during this treatment. The remaining children were followed for at least 2 years after prednisone treatment was discontinued. An acute onset was found in 4 of the 5 children who died and in 6 of 23 children still alive. Swallowing disorders were present in all children who died and in 11 of the children still alive. Ten children recovered fully and 13 presented with sequellae. The average interval between clinical onset and diagnosis was 2 months 19 days for the children who recovered and 5 months 21 days for those presenting with sequellae. The average duration of the period of activity of dermatomyositis was 6 months for the children who recovered and 3 years 4 months for those with sequellae.