Table 2 Monitoring parameters for patients with juvenile dermatomyositis

Disease monitoring tools

In order to monitor disease activity and disease damage over time, the regular measurement of the following parameters may be useful (initially every 6 weeks, later every 3 months):

• Length, weight, blood pressure

• Physician global assessment of disease activity (visual analog scale 0–10)

• Parent/Patient global assessment of disease activity (visual analog 0–10)

• Manual muscle testing (MMT)8 and/or Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS)

• Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ)

• A validated Quality of life instrument

• Muscle enzymes

• Extramuscular disease activity, e.g. via Disease Activity Score, Myositis Disease Activity Assessment Tool or Visual Analog Scale

• Myositis damage index (annually)