title: Acute myopathy in status asthmaticus.
abstract: An acute myopathy complicating life-threatening asthma has been reported with increasing frequency. We present a further 3 patients with this complication. Each patient had nerve conduction studies, electromyography and muscle biopsy performed. The records of a cohort of 12 patients, ventilated in an intensive care unit over a 16 month period, were reviewed. Eleven out of the 12 patients developed an elevated creatine kinase level (median 1311 U/L, range 185-9973 U/L) and 4 developed symptomatic weakness. The myopathy of status asthmaticus is not a homogeneous clinicopathological entity. Although myopathy is the predominant feature, there is a neuropathic component in some patients. Full recovery is usual. The combination of corticosteroids and neuromuscular blocking agents has been proposed as the possible cause of the complication.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Blackie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murree-Allen
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Saul
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000420:Albuterol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013224:Status Asthmaticus / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D000420:Albuterol; D006854:Hydrocortisone