Juvenile dermatomyositis presenting with anasarca: A possible indicator of severe disease activity.

Juvenile dermatomyositis is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the muscle, skin, and other organs. Although localized edema is a common feature of juvenile dermatomyositis, generalized edema has been reported infrequently. We describe a patient with juvenile dermatomyositis presenting with anasarca and note that generalized edema has been associated with severe disease activity.

Novel gastrointestinal tract manifestations in juvenile dermatomyositis.

We report a case of juvenile dermatomyositis in which a dilated atonic esophagus was associated with delayed gastric emptying and intestinal mucosal thickening, resulting in a radiographic "stacked coin" appearance. These findings, which can also occur in infectious, neoplastic, or other immune-mediated diseases, broaden the spectrum of gastrointestinal tract manifestations in juvenile dermatomyositis. Physicians should be alert for these treatable manifestations in children with myositis who present with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, which are reversible with immunosuppressive therapy.