Statins are widely prescribed in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. While their efficacy in the secondary prevention of vascular events is proven, their safety profile in older patients with multiple co-morbidities and polypharmacy remains questionable. Although rare, antihydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (anti-HMGCR) myopathy is a severe adverse effect of statins, manifesting as myalgias, proximal muscle weakness, muscle cell necrosis and rhabdomyolysis. We report an uncommon case of an autopsy-proven anti-HMGCR necrotising myopathy predominately affecting pharyngeal muscles in an older patient, leading to dysphagia, pneumonia and death within 3 weeks from onset. Clinicians should screen for dysphagia in any patient with suspected anti-HMGCR myopathy, order an anti-HMGCR antibody titre and consider prompt immunosupressive therapy.
CITATION STYLE
Mirlesse, N., Egervari, K., Bornand, A., Lecluse, J., Lobrinus, J. A., Scheffler, M., … Cuvelier, C. (2020). Statin-induced autoimmune necrotizing myopathy with pharyngeal muscles involvement. Age and Ageing, 49(5), 883–884. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa038
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