Polymyositis in association with polycythaemia vera

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Hematology
• Oncology

Background:

• Inflammatory myopathies, including polymyositis, are known to be associated with various malignancies.
• This association is more frequently observed with dermatomyositis than polymyositis.
• Commonly associated cancers include non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, ovarian, lung, gastric, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas.

Observation:

• A case of polycythaemia vera, a myeloproliferative neoplasm, is presented.
• The patient, a female, developed polymyositis three years after her polycythaemia vera diagnosis.

Findings:

• The causal relationship between polycythaemia vera and polymyositis is not well-established.
• This case suggests a potential, albeit rare, association between polycythaemia vera and the development of polymyositis.

Implications:

• This finding expands the spectrum of conditions associated with inflammatory myopathies.
• Further research is warranted to understand the potential pathomechanisms linking polycythaemia vera and polymyositis.
• Clinicians should consider polycythaemia vera in the differential diagnosis of polymyositis in relevant patient populations.