PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - A Shah
AU  - A Pace
AU  - D Hilton
AU  - E Househam
AU  - S Weatherby
TI  - Giant cell myositis responsive to combined corticosteroids and immunoglobulin
AID  - 10.1136/practneurol-2015-001145
DP  - 2015 Dec 01
TA  - Practical Neurology
PG  - 456--459
VI  - 15
IP  - 6
4099  - http://pn.bmj.com/content/15/6/456.short
4100  - http://pn.bmj.com/content/15/6/456.full
SO  - Pract Neurol2015 Dec 01; 15
AB  - A 70-year-old man presented with respiratory distress and proximal muscle weakness shortly after biopsy of a left forearm mass. The biopsy showed giant cell myositis, and serological investigations identified a grossly elevated serum creatine kinase level, suggesting skeletal muscle damage. Serum troponin T was also high, but troponin I was normal. Serum antiacetylcholine receptor antibodies were positive, and imaging showed a thymoma. He recovered well following intravenous immunoglobulin and corticosteroids, and later underwent thymectomy. He is currently in sustained remission, with no clinically detectable myasthenia, but subsequently, developed hypogammaglobulinaemia. Neurologists should remember giant cell myositis/myocarditis can occur in patients who have myasthenia gravis with thymoma, as it is potentially fatal, but may respond to immunosuppression.