Familial occurrence of dermatomyositis and progressive scleroderma after injection of a local anaesthetic for dental treatment.
In an 11-year-old boy severe dermatomyositis occurred a few days after injection in the jaw of a local anaesthetic of the amide type for tooth extraction. The patient's grandmother was affected by progressive scleroderma at the age of 34 years, also after injection of a local anaesthetic for dental treatment. Both cases are discussed with special reference to the immuno-genetic aspects of the origin of dermatomyositis.