title: Human T cell leukaemia virus type I associated neuromuscular disease causing respiratory failure.
abstract: Polymyositis and inclusion body myositis have rarely been described in association with human T cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I) infection. Most of such patients have coexisting HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM). Two patients with HTLV-I infection, myopathy, and respiratory failure are described. The muscle biopsy specimen of the first patient bore the histological features of inclusion body myositis and there was no evidence of concurrent myelopathy. The second patient had HAM, and her muscle biopsy showed non-specific myopathic and neuropathic changes. Both patients developed respiratory muscle weakness over eight years after diagnosis of myopathy, leading to hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilatory support. Respiratory failure as a complication of HTLV-I associated myopathy has not previously been described.
authors.affiliation: The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen Square, London, UK.
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Littleton
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Man
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Holton
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Landon
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Polkey
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology