title: Concomitant dermatomyositis and myasthenia gravis presenting with respiratory insufficiency.
abstract: We report a 28-year-old woman with a history of chronic immune-mediated hepatitis, in whom the simultaneous manifestation of dermatomyositis and myasthenia gravis resulted in severe neck extensor weakness and subacute respiratory insufficiency, followed by proximal muscle weakness and external ophthalmoplegia. Radiological signs of a thymoma were absent. The distinguishing clinical, electrophysiological, and biopsy findings are discussed. We suggest that an underlying immunoregulatory disorder was present, explaining the occurrence of three rare immune-mediated diseases in one patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center St. Radboud, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. b.vandewarrenburg@czzoneu.azn.nl
authors.forename: Bart P C
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: van de Warrenburg
authors.forename: Gerald J D
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hengstman
authors.forename: Pieter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: Rudolph H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Boerman
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: ter Laak
authors.forename: Baziel G M
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: van Engelen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology*