Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Brief Clinical Note

Elevated serum aldolase activity in a patient of non-eosinophilic myofasciitis and synovitis with perifascicular atrophy

Hirohiko Ono, M.D., Naoki Suzuki, M.D., Hideki Mizuno, M.D., Maki Tateyama, M.D., Masashi Aoki, M.D. and Yasuto Itoyama, M.D.

Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine

A 35-year-old man suffered from myalgia and joint pain on walking for 5 months. Physical and neurological examinations revealed dermal sclerosis, skin swelling, redness of forearms, Raynaud's phenomenon, joint pain, myalgia and muscle weakness. Eosinophilia was not found and serum creatine kinase activity was normal, while aldolase was markedly elevated. Abnormal signals suggesting synovitis and myofasciitis were found on MRI images. Biopsy of the fascia of quadriceps femoris showed perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration. A muscle biopsy showed mononuclear cell infiltration mainly in the perimysium extending to the endmysium. Eosinophilic cells were not found. Perifascicular atrophy was observed. Corticosteroid therapy improved clinical symptoms and serum aldolase level. We diagnosed him as non-eosinophilic myofasciitis and synovitis with perifascicular atrophy. The serum aldolase activity is usuful for diagnosis and for monitoring the disease activity.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (546K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 49: 119|122, 2009)
key words: eosinophilic myofasciitis, myositis, synovitis, aldolase, perifascicular atrophy

(Received: 21-Aug-08)