Responsiveness of exercise parameters in children with inflammatory myositis.

Objective: Juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) is an inflammatory myopathy in which the immune system targets the microvasculature of the skeletal muscle and skin, leading to significant muscle weakness and exercise intolerance, although the precise etiology is unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate the changes in exercise capacity in children with myositis during active and inactive disease periods and to study the responsiveness of exercise parameters.

Methods: Thirteen children with juvenile DM (mean+/-SD age 11.