RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Giant cell myositis responsive to combined corticosteroids and immunoglobulin
JF Practical Neurology
JO Pract Neurol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 456
OP 459
DO 10.1136/practneurol-2015-001145
VO 15
IS 6
A1 A Shah
A1 A Pace
A1 D Hilton
A1 E Househam
A1 S Weatherby
YR 2015
UL http://pn.bmj.com/content/15/6/456.abstract
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.