[Oculopharyngeal myopathy with autoimmune disease]

A 34-year-old woman had suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in the teen age. She developed progressive ptosis of the eyelids, and difficulty in swallowing and speaking for several years. Endocrinological studies showed primary hypothyroidism. A serum IgG level was elevated (1,973 mg/dl), and antinuclear antibody, thyroid test and microsome test were positive. A muscle biopsy showed massive inflammatory cell infiltrates in the perivascular area in addition to some myopathic change; some variation in fiber size. Immunological staining demonstrated most of these inflammatory cell infiltrates were CD3+ cells and CD4+ cells were counted more than CD8+ cells (CD4/CD8 = 2.3). The diagnoses were confirmed as oculopharyngeal myopathy and Hashimoto's disease. In addition, she had suffered from SLE and AIHA. Therefore we conclude that manifestation of this myopathy may be associated with some autoimmune process.