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. 1975 Nov;38(11):1090–1099. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.38.11.1090

Granulomatous myopathy: its relationship to sarcoidosis and polymyositis.

R H Hewlett, B Brownell
PMCID: PMC492162  PMID: 1206417

Abstract

In three cases of generalized muscle weakness, muscle biopsy revealed well-defined, non-caseating epithelioid granulomata with giant cells. In one of these patients there was, in addition, a high serum CPK and histological evidence of widespread muscle cell degeneration and regeneration, apparently unrelated to the granulomatous process. In a re-examination of the histopathology of these cases, using biopsy material from a fourth case of proven sarcoidosis as a standard, it was concluded that there are no special features of the granulomatous/giant cell process which permit the separation of the case of presumed polymyositis. However, it appeared that granulomata per se do not exert a significant ill effect on surrounding muscle cells, and that evidence of widespread degeneration of muscle cells is the important point of distinction.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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