title: Chronic graft-versus-host disease manifesting as polymyositis: an uncommon presentation.
abstract: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Polymyositis can occur in association with chronic GVHD and mimics the idiopathic form of the disease. We report two cases of chronic GVHD-associated polymyositis and review the published literature. The two patients presented 13 and 19 months after allogeneic transplantation with characteristic features of muscular hypotrophy, proximal muscle weakness, pain, elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aldolase and SGPT. Interestingly, both patients had HLA DR52 genes, which is frequently reported in association with idiopathic polymyositis. Electromyogram (EMG) and muscle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment with cyclosporine or tacrolimus resulted in complete and sustained remission of polymyositis in both cases. A review of the literature shows cyclosporine and steroids are well-described treatment options for patients with myositis in post transplant, as well as idiopathic cases. The duration of immunosuppressive treatment has varied in different reports, and there is a risk of recurrence when immunosuppression is tapered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Couriel
authors.forename: G Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Beguelin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giralt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Lima
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hosing
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kharfan-Dabaja
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Champlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus