Study of Sexual Maturation in Children With Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Abstract

Objective: There is complete absence of sexual maturity data on patients afflicted with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDMS) from the Indian subcontinent. Hence, this study aimed to unfold the effect of this disease on the sexual development of JDMS children. Methods: In the Growth Laboratory/Clinic of the Department of Pediatrics, 60 (25 male and 35 female) sexual maturity-related observations were made on 35 JDMS patients, aged 10–17 years, enrolled from the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic. Breast development stage and age of onset of menarche were recorded among female patients. In male patients, besides, determining the genitalia development stage, measurement of stretched penile length and testicular volume was done. Appearance of pubic and axillary hair among JDMS patients of both sexes was recorded. Results: Most girls with JDMS (34.28%) were in breast development stage-B2 (mean age 10.91 ± 1.08 years) and 22.86% had attained menarche. However, breast stage B5 was attained at 14.62 ± 1.06 years. JDMS girls reached stage B2 at the same age as their normal healthy counterparts. Onset of menarche was delayed by almost a year in JDMS girls. Age of attainment of genitalia stage G2 in JDMS boys (12 years) was delayed by 6 months as compared to well-off Chandigarh boys (11.5 years), whereas it was advanced by 1.5 years when contrasted with affluent Indian counterparts (13.3 years). Conclusion: Comparable pubertal attainments in JDMS males and somewhat delayed start of menarche in female JDMS patients as compared to their normal counterparts show that disease activity has a smaller effect on the sexual development of JDMS patients from north-western India.