Gastroparesis associated with Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Background

Gastrointestinal involvement is well recognised in juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) Dysphagia due to pharyngeal and upper oesophageal dysmotility occurs in 33% of UK patients [1]. Gastrointestinal vasculitis with ulceration and intestinal perforation is also described. There is only one previous report highlighting gastric dysmotility associated with juvenile dermatomyositis [2].

Cases

We present two cases where gastroparesis was associated with JDM and improved with immunosuppression. Clinical features and investigations are summarised in table 1.

Table 1 Clinical features and investigations

Conclusion

Gastric dysmotility may complicate JDM. In both these cases it presented with intractable vomiting and otherwise normal gastrointestinal investigations. Neither had evidence of otherwise active JDM at the time of onset of their vomiting but both responded to immunosuppression.