PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - C Huemer
AU  - H Kitson
AU  - P N Malleson
AU  - S Sanderson
AU  - M Huemer
AU  - D A Cabral
AU  - J P Chanoine
AU  - R E Petty
TI  - Lipodystrophy in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis--evaluation of clinical and metabolic abnormalities.
DP  - 2001 Mar 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 610--615
VI  - 28
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/28/3/610.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/28/3/610.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2001 Mar 01; 28
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Lipodystrophy and associated metabolic abnormalities are being increasingly recognized as complications of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). We investigated the prevalence of lipodystrophy and the extent of metabolic abnormalities related to lipoatrophic diabetes mellitus in patients with JDM. METHODS: Twenty patients with JDM were evaluated for evidence of lipodystrophy and associated lipoatrophic diabetes mellitus. All patients underwent clinical assessment, laboratory investigations, and metabolic studies (oral glucose tolerance test, lipid studies, insulin antibodies). RESULTS: We found clinical evidence of lipodystrophy and lipoatrophic diabetes mellitus in 4 of 20 patients with JDM and metabolic abnormalities known to be associated with lipodystrophy in another 8 patients. The 20 patients with JDM were categorized as follows: Group 1 (Patients 1-4) consisted of patients with lipodystrophy and either diabetes mellitus (2 patients) or impaired glucose tolerance (2 patients); Group 2 (Patients 5-12): no lipodystrophy but abnormal glucose and/or lipid studies; Group 3 (Patients 13-20): no lipodystrophy and no abnormalities of glucose and lipid studies. CONCLUSION: We found 25% of patients with JDM have lipodystrophy, and 50% present with hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance. Screening for metabolic abnormalities in JDM should be included in routine followup because of the effect of lipodystrophy on longterm prognosis.