Collagen disease in children. A review of 71 cases
W. P. Coleman 3rd, W. P. coleman, V. J. Derbes, H. W. Jolly Jr and L. T. Nesbitt Jr
Seventy-one children with the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE) (39 cases), dermatomyositis (25 cases), or scleroderma (7 cases) were
studied retrospectively. The children with SLE were much sicker than those
with the other two diseases and were found to have a poorer prognosis than
adults with SLE. In general, the earlier the age of onset, the poorer the
prognosis. Early gastrointestinal bleeding, abnormal renal findings, and
cardiac abnormalities heralded early death from SLE. The peak incidence of
SLE near the time of puberty suggests hormonal influence on this disorder
in children. Survival rates and morbidity improved as the treatment
improved. Corticosteroids were the main therapeutic agents. The patients
with scleroderma also received varying doses of vitamin E, penicillamine,
chloroquine hydrochloride, and salicylates. The antimetabolites were used
to treat SLE starting in the late 1960s.
