title: Granulomatous myopathy: its relationship to sarcoidosis and polymyositis.
abstract: In three cases of generalized muscle weakness, muscle biopsy revealed well-defined, non-caseating epithelioid granulomata with giant cells. In one of these patients there was, in addition, a high serum CPK and histological evidence of widespread muscle cell degeneration and regeneration, apparently unrelated to the granulomatous process. In a re-examination of the histopathology of these cases, using biopsy material from a fourth case of proven sarcoidosis as a standard, it was concluded that there are no special features of the granulomatous/giant cell process which permit the separation of the case of presumed polymyositis. However, it appeared that granulomata per se do not exert a significant ill effect on surrounding muscle cells, and that evidence of widespread degeneration of muscle cells is the important point of distinction.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology*; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D009220:Myositis / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000473:pathology; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D003402:Creatine Kinase; D011241:Prednisone