Neuralgic amyotrophy as a presenting feature of infective endocarditis

Abstract

A 35 year old man presented to his general practitioner with severe right shoulder pain and subsequent weakness and wasting of the muscles in the affected shoulder girdle three weeks after a dental filling. His symptoms persisted despite standard treatment. He developed malaise, night sweats, weight loss, a petechial rash and a microcytic anaemia. On admission to hospital three months after the start of his symptoms he had also developed splenomegaly and the murmur of aortic regurgitation. Investigations confirmed the diagnoses of infective endocarditis and neuralgic amyotropy. In this case neuralgic amyotrophy appears to have been the presenting feature of infective endocarditis. This association has not previously been described.