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Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases logoLink to Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
. 2001 Apr;60(4):310–312. doi: 10.1136/ard.60.4.310

An unexpected cause of muscle pain in diabetes

L Silberstein 1, K Britton 1, F Marsh 1, M Raftery 1, D D'Cruz 1
PMCID: PMC1753615  PMID: 11247854

Abstract

Diabetic muscle infarction is a rare condition which may present to a rheumatologist. It was first reported in 1965. Two illustrative cases are described here and the mechanisms of pathogenesis discussed. Analysis of the published data, results of the muscle biopsies, and a technetium-99m sestamibi scan suggest that the condition, which occurs against a background of diabetic microangiopathy, can be triggered by an ischaemic event and causes extensive muscle necrosis through hypoxia-reperfusion injury and compartment syndrome.



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Figure 1  .

Figure 1  

T2 weighted magnetic resonance image. An increased signal density in the right vastus lateralis muscle can be seen.

Figure 2  .

Figure 2  

Dynamic 99mTc-sestamibi scan. Increased tracer uptake at the site of the lesion in the right thigh is seen.


Articles from Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

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