Table 3: Complications

Pt #
Complications
1 No complications observed
2 Exacerbation of skin symptoms after reduction of prednisone dose 7 months after diagnosis. Patient improved after restoring previous prednisone dose and adding HCQ.
3 Respiratory tract infection 6 months after diagnosis resulted in one-week break from MTX.
4 Severe systemic calcinosis complicated with osteoporosis and concomitant contractures in elbows appeared 2 years and 10 months after diagnosis. Steatohepatitis developed after 8 years of treatment.
5 Shock with acute kidney and respiratory failure caused by rhabdomyolysis 4 years after first hospitalization.
Hypertriglyceridemia which appeared in the 5th year of treatment.
Reappearance of heliotrope rash and muscle weakness after reduction of prednisone dose 8 years and 8 months after beginning of therapy. Prednisone dose was restored 2 months later.
Tachycardia and shortness of breath on exertion which appeared in the 9th year of treatment that needed to be treated with metoprolol 25mg/day.