Specialists in rheumatology and neuromuscular pathology in the French West Indies report the clinical and biological data of 21 adolescents aged between 2.5 and 14 diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) between 2000 and 2023 in hospitals in the French West Indies-Guyana region:
- in addition to motor deficits, these patients had dysphagia (two-thirds of cases) and respiratory problems (one-third),
- 13 out of 21 had positive serology for anti-Mi2 antibody,
- subcutaneous calcinosis was reported during the course of the disease in three-quarters of cases, particularly in younger patients.
This work contributes to a better understanding of the clinical and biological expression of juvenile dermatomyositis in this patient population, the majority of whom are of African origin.
