Clinical description and epidemiology data

Assessment of both the epidemiology of JDM and of the data obtained from sensitive diagnostic laboratory tools will provide useful and specific information about the pathophysiology of this most interesting disease. Clues to disease activity — the MRI, neopterin, vWF:Ag levels, and percentage of B cells — are still imperfect guides to therapy,⁴⁴ but may be of substantial aid in the characterization of the severity of the immunologically mediated inflammatory process.⁷⁴ A more comprehensive understanding of the genetic factors that are associated with either the disease onset or the course of JDM may help in forecasting the outcome of this illness.