DERMATOMYOSITIS AND DIFFUSE SCLERODERMA

Abstract

This study was undertaken because of the apparent difficulty in distinguishing between dermatomyositis and scleroderma. A review of the entire literature on dermatomyositis was made to determine how distinctive a syndrome it presented. Not infrequently the difficulty of distinguishing scleroderma from dermatomyositis was mentioned, and in other instances it seemed that scleroderma could readily be considered in the diagnosis. The following reports of cases illustrate the difficulties in differential diagnosis, and from them certain distinctive features can be pointed out. REPORT OF CASES Case 1.— A housewife, aged 34, was the mother of two healthy children. Her family history and past illnesses were irrelevant. She had overworked for several years when, in April 1930, a red macular eruption appeared on the thorax, face, arms and hands. In four months weakness of the arms and legs supervened; this seemed to be aggravated following a tonsillectomy. In October, seven months after the