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Granulomatous Myositis Associated with Myasthenia Gravis: A Rare Case
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Granulomatous Myositis Associated with Myasthenia Gravis: A Rare Case

Shumaila M Iqbal, Linda Burns and Cassandra Zhi
Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), v 11(7), e5090
07 Jul 2019
PMID: 31516798
url
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5090View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0 Open

Abstract

Pathology Rheumatology
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an immune-mediated disease of the neuromuscular junction mediated by anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies (Ab). Granulomatous Myositis (GrM) is a histological diagnosis characterized by the presence of epithelioid granuloma in striated muscles. Few cases describing the presence of concomitant thymoma and non-thymomarelated MG with GrM have been reported. This present case is an addition to the literature describing the presence of concomitant thymoma and non-thymoma-related MG with GrM. The patient described is a 77-year-old male who started developing weakness and atrophy involving the musculature of the bilateral lower and upper extremities. Initial laboratory workup showed an elevated level of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) of 1,231 U/L (reference range: 22 to 198 U/L). The right quadriceps muscle biopsy performed showed inflammatory infiltrates containing eosinophils, plasma cells, and lymphocytes forming multinucleate giant cells consistent with a diagnosis of GrM. Detailed laboratory and imaging work conducted to rule out an underlying cause of GrM showed elevated titers of AChR Ab (79.50 nmol/L, reference range: < 0.02 nmol/L) and striational Ab (titer: 1: 320, reference range < 1: 120). A positive repetitive nerve stimulation test for the left ulnar nerve (decrement in the amplitude of muscle action potential by 13%) further confirmed the diagnosis of MG concomitant with GrM. Computed tomography of the chest was negative for the presence of a thymoma. The patient was started on treatment with oral prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil, which resulted in an improvement of symptoms and the downward trending of serum CPK level.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
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