Corticoid therapy for overlapping syndromes in an HIV-positive patient

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection disturbs the host's immune function and often coexists with various autoimmune and/or systemic rheumatic diseases with manifestations that sometimes overlap with each other. We herein present the case of a 43-year-old Japanese man infected with HIV who exhibited elevated serum creatine kinase and transaminases levels without any symptoms. He was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, polymyositis and Sjögren's syndrome and received combined antiretroviral therapy (cART); however, the laboratory abnormalities persisted. We successfully administered cART with the addition of oral prednisolone, and the patient's condition recovered without side effects related to the metabolic or immunosuppressive effects of these drugs.