[An unrecognized cause of camptocormia: proximal myotonic myopathy]

The underlying cause of camptocormia, a common condition in adults consisting of forward flexion of the trunk both in stance and gait, is often unrecognized, attributed by some to primary late-onset myopathy.

Two patients progressively developed camptocormia. The cause was identified as a relatively new disease, proximal myotonic myopathy.

The diagnosis of proximal myotonic myopathy is based on clinical findings: myalgia and diffuse pain, gait disorders and progressive weakness of proximal muscles, electrical myotonia, cataracte in some cases, elevated gamma glutamyltranspeptidases. The disease is transmitted by autosomal dominant inheritance. This condition should be entertained as a possible cause in patients presenting an apparently primary camptocormic syndrome.