Table 1: Clinical characteristics of the patients finally diagnosed with JDM

Pt #	Gender	Age at diagnosis [yrs+mos]	Duration of symptoms [mos]	Characteristic manifestations	Other symptoms	Myositis in EMG/Biopsy	Medication use
1	Girl	4	4	muscle weakness, movement difficulties, Gottron sign	lupus-like butterfly rash	EMG + Biopsy +	GCS
2	Girl	2+3	nd	Gottron sign	hair loss	nd	GCS, HCQ
3	Girl	6	4	muscle weakness, muscle pain, fever, heliotrope rash	nil relevant	EMG + Biopsy +	GCS, MTX
4	Boy	8	9	muscle weakness, heliotrope rash, Gottron sign	macular rash on nose, scar-like lesions on hands	EMG np Biopsy +	GCS, MTX, HCQ, IFX, PAM; finally IVIG, AZA
5	Boy	2+6	nd	muscle weakness, muscle pain, fever, heliotrope rash	fibromatous tumour in the posterior region of the neck; pneumonia on first admission	EMG + Biopsy np	GCS, MTX, IVIG; finally ADA, AZA

nd: no data, np: not performed, GCS: Glucocorticosteroids, MTX: Methotrexate, AZA: Azathiopryne, HCQ: Hydroxychloroquine, IFX: Infliximab, ADA: Adalimumab, IVIG: Intravenous Immunoglobulin, PAM: Pamidronate