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Unusual case of bilateral hand weakness
  1. Sayan Datta1,
  2. Jeremy Cosgrove1,
  3. Taimour Alam2,
  4. Helen L Ford1
  1. 1Department of Neurology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
  2. 2Department of Neurophysiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Helen L Ford, Department of Neurology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, LS1 3EX, Leeds, UK; helen.ford17{at}nhs.net

Abstract

A 35-year-old man presented with myalgia and bilateral hand weakness, 3 days after the onset of lethargy, fevers and rigours. The hand weakness caused functional impairment including difficulty pressing keys on his mobile phone. On examination, there was mild bilateral hand weakness with normal reflexes. His serum creatine kinase was mildly raised at 503 U/L (24–195), viral PCR throat swab was negative and electromyogram showed subtle myopathic changes in the distal forearm muscles. Nerve conduction studies found no evidence of neuropathy. Forced vital capacity was reduced on admission (1.5 L) but improved within 24 hours (2.3 L). We gave supportive intravenous fluids and his weakness improved within 48 hours. He was discharged and reported that the weakness had fully resolved within weeks. The diagnosis was viral myositis. Distal forearm myositis rarely follows H1N1 influenza in adults but is an important differential for postinfective neurological symptoms.

  • Influenza
  • viral myositis
  • neurophysiology
  • guillain-barre syndrome

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Footnotes

  • Contributors SD wrote first draft and coordinated subsequent revisions with JC, TA and HLF. TA provided expert neurophysiology opinion and HLF had concept for article.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed. This paper was reviewed by Eleanor Marsh, Cardiff, UK, and Michael Rose, London, UK.

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