Epidemiology

DM is a rare disease that can occur at any age. Evidence suggests that there are two peaks of incidence: between 5 and 15 years of age and between 40 and 60 years.[5][6][7]

Adult-onset DM has a female preponderance of approximately 2.5:1.[7][8] DM is more common in the black population than in the white population.[7][8] Malignancy-associated DM occurs with similar frequency in both sexes and is more common in people over 50 years of age with the risk increasing with age.[7][9][10]

A US population-based study reported an estimated annual incidence of all subtypes of DM of 9.63 per million people, 13.98 per million for women and 4.68 per million for men.[5] The estimated annual incidence for the clinically amyopathic subtype of DM was 2.08 per million people, 3.50 per million for women and 0.45 per million for men.[5] The overall prevalence of all subtypes of DM was estimated at 21.42 per 100,000 people, 33.08 per 100,000 for women and 8.35 per 100,000 for men.[5]

Juvenile-onset DM has an annual incidence of 2 to 3 cases per million.[11] Girls are more commonly affected with the mean age of onset of around 10 years.[6][12]

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