Case Report

Rapid Improvement of Calcinosis in Juvenile Dermatomyositis with Alendronate Therapy

GEOFFREY R. AMBLER, JEFFREY CHAITOW, MAUREEN ROGERS, DAVID W. McDONALD, and ROBERT A. OUVRIER

ABSTRACT.

A 6-year-old boy with improving juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) developed severe and debilitating calcinosis, unresponsive to diltiazem and probenecid. Alendronate produced dramatic improvement within 1 month and by 12 months calcinosis had virtually resolved. The response was followed by bone mineral content measurements. (J Rheumatol 2005;32:1837-9)

Key Indexing Terms:

JUVENILE DERMATOMYOSITIS
CALCINOSIS
BISPHOSPHONATES

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From the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia.

G.R. Ambler, MBBS, MD, FRACP, Pediatric Endocrinologist; J. Chaitow, MBBCh, FRACP, Pediatric Rheumatologist; M. Rogers, MBBS, FACD, Pediatric Dermatologist; D.W. McDonald, MBBS, FRACP, DA, Associate Physician; R.A. Ouvrier, MBBS, MD, BSc(Med), FRACP, Pediatric Neurologist.

Address reprint requests to Dr. G. Ambler, Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. E-mail: geoffa@chw.edu.au

Accepted for publication May 4, 2005.

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