Dermatomyositis associated with Sjögren's syndrome: VEGF involvement in vasculitis.

Two patients with dermatomyositis complicated with Sjögren's syndrome (SjS), are reported. Both patients exhibited sensory-dominant polyneuropathy, compatible with neurologic involvement in SjS. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were increased in their plasma. Histological examination demonstrated vasculitic changes in biopsied specimens of muscle and salivary glands from the patients, and VEGF was overexpressed in the vasculitic lesions. These findings suggest that VEGF overexpression was associated with the development of vasculopathy in skeletal muscle and salivary glands and possibly in the peripheral nervous system.