Juvenile Dermatomyositis in a Nigerian Girl: a Case Report.

Abstract

A case of Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) in a 10 year old Nigerian girl is herein reported to discuss some of the features of the disease and challenges in management of such a rare but crippling autoimmune vasculopathy of childhood. She was referred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) with an eight-month history of recur rent fever, abdominal pain, and a four-month history of body rash and inability to walk or sit. Muscle biopsy and clinical findings consistent with JDM were found. Her condition improved with steroids, cytotoxic therapy and physiotherapy. Some invest igat ion and t reatment modalities could not be accessed for the benefit of the patient. Although, the outcome of patients with JDM has improved with the discovery of steroids, the disease is shown to have a variable course, with attendant social and financial implications especially to the immediate family.