Complications

Possible complications of dermatomyositis include:

• Difficulty swallowing. If the muscles in your esophagus are affected, you can have problems swallowing, which can cause weight loss and malnutrition.
• Aspiration pneumonia. Difficulty swallowing can also cause you to breathe food or liquids, including saliva, into your lungs.
• Breathing problems. If the condition affects your chest muscles, you might have breathing problems, such as shortness of breath.
• Calcium deposits. These can occur in your muscles, skin and connective tissues as the disease progresses. These deposits are more common in children with dermatomyositis and develop earlier in the course of the disease.