[Myositis in the presence of slightly elevated creatine kinase values]

The clinical picture with, among other things, muscular swelling, fever and nocturnal sweating in three males aged 30, 37 and 52 years, suggested a neoplasm and sepsis. Ultimately, they were found to suffer from focal myositis, localized nodular myositis and polymyositis, respectively. The ESR and leukocyte counts were increased, the serum creatinine kinase (CK) activity was normal or slightly increased. The symptoms decreased after prednisone treatment. Both localized and generalized inflammatory muscular diseases may be present without the serum CK activity being raised.