Abstract
A 42 year old woman with foot process disease, was treated with corticosteroids for 6 years. She had been suffering, for about 3 years from progressive muscle weakness of the limbs, accompanied by general paresthesia, cramps of the calves and burning muscle pain both at rest and on effort. The clinical, neurophysiological and histochemical examination indicated noninflammatory myopathic damage. The progressive reduction of corticosteroid dosage led rapidly to a distinct improvement, but not to a remission, of symptoms. Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with those observed in most cases of steroid myopathy described in literature.
We discuss the possible pathogenetic role of corticosteroids in this affection.
Sommario
Una donna di 42 anni, in terapia da 6 con corticosteroidi per una glomerulonefrite a lesioni minime, presenta da circa tre anni progressiva debolezza muscolare agli arti accompagnata da parestesie diffuse, crampi ai polpacci ed algie urenti a riposo e durante lo sforzo. L'esame clinico, neurofisiologico ed istochimico è indicativo di un danno miopatico di tipo non infiammatorio. La riduzione progressiva della terapia con corticosteroidi produce in breve tempo un netto miglioramento della sintomatologia che si mantiene poi stazionaria negli anni seguenti.
I dati clinici e di laboratorio sono in accordo con quelli osservati nella maggior parte dei casi di “miopatia steroidea” descritti in Letteratura.
Viene discusso dagli Autori il possibile ruolo patogenetico dei corticosteroidi in tale patologia.
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Marolda, M., Palma, V., Camporeale, F.S. et al. Steroid myopathy: Clinical and immunohistochemical study of a case. Ital J Neuro Sci 12, 407–413 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335781
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335781