title: Back pain as the presenting symptom in juvenile dermato/polymyositis.
abstract: Juvenile dermato/polymyositis is an inflammatory myopathy that usually presents with symmetrical hip and shoulder girdle muscle weakness, with or without a skin rash. In our series of 78 patients with dermato/polymyositis, we found eight children whose initial complaint was back pain, a rare symptom at the onset of other pediatric rheumatic diseases. This unusual presentation significantly delayed the correct diagnosis in most of our cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cimaz