Bilateral orbital involvement in fatal giant cell polymyositis

The case of a young woman with giant cell polymyositis is described. She had bilateral, severe, midly painful proptosis and ophthalmoplegia. Extensive pharyngeal, laryngeal, and cardiac muscle involvement occurred 18 months later coincident with fatal cardiac arrhythmia. At autopsy, extensive muscle necrosis and giant cells were noted in extraocular, pharyngeal, laryngeal, and cardiac muscle with only minimal involvement of other striated muscles.