Rheumatoid vasculitis of crural muscles confirmed by muscle biopsy in the absence of inflammatory myopathy: histologic and MRI study.

Abstract

A 60-year-old man who had been diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis admitted to our hospital by dysesthesia on his legs with edema. Nerve conduction velocity test led to diagnosis of mononeuritis multiplex. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lower legs showed high intensity in slow tau inversion recovery. Typical vasculitis with neutrophil-dominant cell infiltration was observed by muscle biopsy without inflammatory myopathy or fascitis. Diagnosis was made by rheumatoid vasculitis found in crural muscles. Intravenous cyclophosphamide with oral tacrolimus effectively improved dysesthesia with reduction of inflammatory response.

• Authors: Hideki Nakamura, Akitomo Okada, Atsushi Kawakami, Satoshi Yamasaki, Hiroaki Ida, Tomoko Masuda, Taku Fukuda, Katsuya Satoh, Toshiro Yoshimura, Munetoshi Nakashima, Tomayoshi Hayashi, Katsumi Eguchi
• Journal: Rheumatology international (Rheumatol Int) Vol. 30 Issue 10 Pg. 1381-3 (Aug 2010) ISSN: 1437-160X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19639318 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antirheumatic Agents
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Cyclophosphamide
• Tacrolimus

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Antirheumatic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (complications, drug therapy, pathology)
• Biopsy
• Cyclophosphamide (therapeutic use)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Injections, Intravenous
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscle, Skeletal (pathology, physiopathology)
• Muscular Diseases (complications, pathology)
• Neural Conduction
• Neutrophils
• Paresthesia (complications, drug therapy, pathology)
• Tacrolimus (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vasculitis (complications, drug therapy, pathology)