Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.45.1.47 on 1 January 1986. Downloaded from Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 1986; 45, 47-49 Acute poststreptococcal polymyalgia NOAM HARATS, HANAN GUR, AND ALAN RUBINOW From the Department of Medicine A, Hadassah University Hospital, POB 12000, Jerusalem, Israel SUMMARY Three patients developed severe incapacitating diffuse pain and tenderness of the skeletal muscles after acute streptococcal infection. There was no evidence of concomitant arthritis, glomerulonephritis, or inflammatory muscle disease in any of the cases. All patients responded promptly to anti-inflammatory therapy. Severe myalgia should be considered an additional complication of immunologically mediated poststreptococcal response. Rheumatic fever, acute poststreptoccal glomeru- (515 x 10O/I). Urinalysis was normal, as were the lonephritis, Schonlein-Henoch purpura, and ery- serum electrolytes, glucose, urea, creatinine levels, thema nodosum are well recognised, immunologi- and liver function tests. The serum albumin concen- cally mediated complications of streptococcal tration was 32 gIl. Muscle enzymes, including disease.1 On the other hand, severe diffuse pain creatine phosphokinase, aldolase, transaminase, and tenderness of skeletal muscles without concom- and lactic dehydrogenase, were all within normal itant arthritis is not a recognised feature of post- levels. Many cultures obtained from the throat, copyright. streptococcal disease. Recently, we encountered sputum, urine, and blood were negative. The three patients who developed incapacitating acute serological tests for hepatitis B antigen, Epstein- myalgia after streptococcal infection. Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and cold agglutinins, the Weil-Felix reaction, Widal test, and test for Case histories antinuclear antibodies were also negative. The antistreptolysin 0 titre was 1/400 on admission and 1/800 two weeks later. The C-reactive protein was CASE 1 An showed T wave inversion http://ard.bmj.com/ A 13-year-old girl was admitted to our department 5+. electrocardiogram to normal during the because of severe myalgia involving the upper and in leads VI-V3 which reverted lower limbs of three days' duration. Two weeks hospitalisation. A chest radiogram was normal. The was treated with 2-7 g daily and before admission she had had an upper respiratory patient aspirin infection. She also had fever, arthralgia of the small responded dramatically. By the following moming muscle had and a scheduled joints of the hands, and was bedridden because of the pain resolved, was cancelled. She remained pain. She had not received any medication. On electromyography symptomless thereafter on maintenance aspirin admission her temperature was 39°C and she had a on September 28, 2021 by guest. Protected diffuse giant urticarial rash. The throat, lungs, and therapy. abdomen showed no abnormal findings. The heart CASE 2 sounds were normal, and no murmurs were heard. A man was admitted to our department There was severe bilateral tenderness and weakness 24-year-old of the deltoid, biceps, and quadriceps muscles, but because of severe myalgia. Ten days previously he a sore throat associated with fever and was were no of arthritis. had there signs with and for three days. A tests showed an erythrocyte sedi- treated ampicillin aspirin Laboratory week later he developed severe proximal and distal mentation rate (ESR) of 80 mm after one hour (Westergen), haemoglobin 11-1 g/dl (111 g/l) with muscle pain and weakness. On admission he normocytic normochromic indexes, leucocytes 8100/ appeared ill and his temperature was 38-10C. The throat, lungs, abdomen, and skin were normal. mm3 (8-1 x 109/l), and thrombocytes 515 000/mm3 Heart sounds were normal, and no murmurs were heard. The proximal and distal muscles were so Accepted for publication 24 May 1985. tender that he was unable to move because of the Correspondence to Dr Noam Harats, Department of Medicine A, Hadassah University Hospital, POB 12000, Jerusalem 91120, incapacitating pain. There was marked weakness of Israel. the proximal and distal muscles of the upper 47 Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.45.1.47 on 1 January 1986. Downloaded from 48 Harats, Gur, Rubinow extremities and moderate weakness of the proximal Serum albumin was 24 g/l and globulin 43 g/l; serum and distal muscles of the lower limbs. proteinelectrophoresisshowedanincreaseofa2globu- Laboratory examinations showed: ESR 85 mm lin (24%). Antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid after one hour, haemoglobin 16-4 g/dl (164 g/l), factor were not detected, and serological tests for white blood cell count 15 600/mm3 (15-6x 109/1) Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and hepatitis with 70% polymorphonuclears, and thrombocytes B antigen were negative. An antistreptolysin 0 titre 336 000/mm3 (336x 109/l). Urinalysis was normal. was 1/833 and increased to 1/1600 a month later. Serum electrolytes, glucose, liver and kidney func- C-reactive protein was 3+. Numerous cultures tion tests were normal. Repeated determinations of obtained from blood, urine, throat, sputum, and muscle enzymes (creatine phosphokinase, lactic cerebrospinal fluid were negative. A chest radio- dehydrogenase, oxaloacetic transaminase, and aldo- gram showed increased intersitial markings, and a lase) were all normal. Serological tests for hepatitis small pericardial effusion was noted on echocar- B antigen, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, diography. Electrocardiography and electromyogra- cold agglutinins, antinuclear antibodies, and phy were normal. rheumatoid factor were negative. The antistreptoly- The patient was treated with prednisone 40 mg sin 0 titre increased over three weeks from 1/160 to daily. Although the fever declined and the myalgia 1/333, and C-reactive protein was 4+. Serum improved gradually, a residual mild proximal protein electrophoresis showed increased a2 globu- myopathy persisted. She was discharged after a lin (19-5% of total protein) and a diffuse hypergam- month on a tapering prednisone regimen. Three maglobulinaemia. An electrocardiogram and chest weeks after discharge a complete resolution of her roentgenogram were normal. Electromyography of myopathy was observed. the biceps, deltoid, flexor digitalis, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius showed mild myopathic changes Discussion without spontaneous activity. In addition, a mild reduction of recruitment and excess of polyphasic The present report describes three patients whocopyright. activity were noted. A muscle biopsy specimen showed a similar clinical picture of severe myalgia obtained from a tender biceps muscle was normal. and fever after streptococcal upper respiratory tract Aspirin in a dose of 4-8 g/day resulted in a prompt infection. The myalgia was characterised by severe relief of pain, and the tenderness disappeared within incapacitating muscle pain and tenderness affecting a week. the proximal and distal muscles of both upper and lower limbs, without increase of muscle enzymes. CASE 3 There was serological evidence of recent streptococ- Two weeks after an untreated upper respiratory cal infection in all cases and non-specific signs of http://ard.bmj.com/ tract infection a 21-year-old woman complained of inflammation, including a high erythrocyte sedi- acute pain and marked weakness in both legs and mentation rate, positive C-reactive protein, and an arms and swelling of the left calf. On admission she increase of a2 globulin. Complete and rapid resolu- appeared to be acutely ill and her temperature was tion was observed on treatment with salicylates in 39°C. Rales were heard over both lung bases, but two patients and prednisone in one case. the heart and abdomen were normal. The muscles of The clinical picture and the positive serological all four limbs were very tender. The strength of the evidence for recent streptococcal infection suggest on September 28, 2021 by guest. Protected proximal muscles of the upper and lower limbs was a pathogenesis similar to rheumatic fever. Drug markedly decreased and that of the distal muscles allergy is unlikely, since only one patient (case 2) moderately decreased. There were no signs of was treated with ampicillin before admission, and arthritis. the drug was discontinued five days before onset of Laboratory data included: ESR 90 mm after one the disease. The clinical manifestations of rheumatic hour, white blood cell count 19 000/mm3 (19x 109/1), fever have undergone considerable modification in with a marked shift to the left. Haemoglobin was 8*5 recent years, and the application of the Jones gtdl (85 g/l) with mild hypochromia (mean corpuscu- criteria in the adult population is often difficult.' 57 lar haemoglobin 24 pg) and thrombocytes 615 000/ In classical rheumatic fever the presence of arthritis mm3 (615 x 109/l). Urinalysis showed + 1 proteinuria or carditis is necessary in order to make the with few red and white blood cells per high power diagnosis. About 12% of patients with suspected fields but with no casts. Serum electrolytes, glucose, rheumatic fever are described as 'minor streptococ- and liver function tests were normal. The blood urea cal disease'2 which usually includes arthralgia, high nitrogen was 28 mg/dl (10 mmol/l). Muscle enzymes, sedimentationr rate, fever, and sometimes a pro- including transaminase, creatine phosphokinase, longed P-R interval in the electrocardiogram. None lactic dehydrogenase, and aldolase, were normal. of the three patients described herein fulfilled the Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.45.1.47 on 1 January