These data suggest that circulating pro-inflammatory biomarkers are at lower levels in DMD patients as compared to other pediatric inflammatory diseases such as juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) where it has been shown that circulating levels of a subset of these same inflammation-associated biomarkers such as CXCL10, CCL2, and IL-6 were 10 to 100 fold higher in juvenile dermatomyositis patients compared to healthy controls39. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and juvenile dermatomyositis.