Polymyositis: A Case Report

Inflammatory myopathies are a group of diseases whose common pathway is immune-mediated muscle damage, one of which is polymyositis.The definition of polymyositis is controversial, with proponents advocating a definition based on immunohistochemical , histopathological findings in muscle biopsies, while other proponents advocate a definition based on clinical manifestations and histopathological findings.Polymyositis is a quite rare disease that is clinically characterized by progressive proximal muscle weakness with a symmetric distribution. Within the diagnostic approach, laboratory studies show elevation of sarcoplasmic enzymes; nerve conduction tests are performed, which may aid in distinguishing myopathic causes of weakness from neuropathic disorders; and muscle biopsy is considered the gold standard to diagnose inflammatory myopathy and to distinguish the subclasses.We report the case of a 61-year-old male patient who presented generalized symmetrical weakness, predominantly in the upper extremities , dysphagia, whose laboratory studies, autoantibodies, and muscle biopsy were confirmatory of this entity.

Automated summary

Inflammatory myopathies are a group of diseases characterized by immune-mediated muscle damage, one of which is polymyositis. The definition of polymyositis is controversial, with arguments for both immunohistochemical and histopathological findings in muscle biopsies, as well as clinical manifestations and histopathological findings. Polymyositis is a rare disease characterized by progressive symmetrical muscle weakness, especially in the proximal muscles. Diagnostic methods include elevated levels of sarcoplasmic enzymes in laboratory studies, nerve conduction tests, and muscle biopsy, which is considered the gold standard for diagnosing inflammatory myopathy and distinguishing subclasses. This article reports a case of a 61-year-old male patient with generalized symmetrical weakness, mainly in the upper extremities, and dysphagia, whose laboratory studies, autoantibodies, and muscle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of polymyositis.