title: Axial myopathy due to primary amyloidosis.
abstract: A 74-year-old man presented with progressive weakness involving only his back muscles. Serum protein electrophoresis revealed the presence of a monoclonal gammopathy. Muscle biopsy of affected muscles demonstrated amyloid light chain deposition surrounding individual muscle fibers as well as in the walls of blood vessels in association with vasculitis. Selective involvement of axial muscles in isolated amyloid myopathy has not been previously described. We report the occurrence of axial myopathy with associated vasculitis as a presenting feature of primary (AL) amyloidosis. Amyloidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of focal myopathies, since the condition may be responsive to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turley
authors.forename: Lili-Naz
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Hazrati
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Munoz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid