RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Juvenile and adult dermatomysitis are chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory myopathies characterized by progressive proximal muscle weakness and typical skin symptoms. AIM: To compare the symptoms, laboratory and serological findings, treatment and disease course in children and adults suffering from dermatomyositis. METHOD: In this retrospective study, juvenile and adult dermatomyositis groups were formed. There were 27 patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (mean age, 8.7 years; mean follow-up time: 104.6 months) and 30 adult patients (mean age, 50.3; mean follow-up time: 58.1 months). RESULTS: In patients with juvenile dermatomyositis, treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and cyclosporine A were more frequent as compared to adult patients. Acute onset of the disease was more frequent in adult patients than in those with juvenile disease. In children symptoms of the disease developed gradually. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm previously published data showing that there are differences between juvenile and adult patients with dermatomyositis. The authors recommend to follow the patients regularly after reaching remission to avoid bad patient compliance and decrease the number and severity of relapses.