Dermatomyositis and hypokalemia: a difficult diagnosis
Minenna, G.; Albanese, L.; D'Amore, S.; D'Amore, M.
Recenti Progressi in Medicina 98(1): 20-22
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0034-1193 PMID: 17345876 Document Number: 607948
The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are systemic autoimmune diseases characterizes by chronic muscle inflammation. The frequent extramuscolar manifestations contribute to the morbidity and mortality of the disease. The goal of medical therapy is based on immune suppression with first-line agent glucocorticoids and additional immunosuppressants can be used when severe side effects occur or glucocorticoids are considered to be ineffective. We report the case of a female patient with dermatomyositis and reduced potassium levels. This case illustrates the difficulty of establishing the differential diagnosis of hypokalemia.