Diagnosis and Treatment > Signs and Symptoms > Leg pain

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Nobuhiro Miyamura Departments of Diabetes and Endocrinology

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Shuhei Nishida Departments of Diabetes and Endocrinology

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Mina Itasaka Departments of Diabetes and Endocrinology

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Hirofumi Matsuda Departments of Diabetes and Endocrinology

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Takeshi Ohtou Gastroenterology

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Yasuhiro Yamaguchi Neurology

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Daisuke Inaba Orthopedic Surgery, Tamana Central Hospital, Tamana, Japan

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Sadahiro Tamiya Department of General and Community Medicine, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan

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Tetsuo Nakano Orthopedic Surgery, Tamana Central Hospital, Tamana, Japan

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Summary

Hepatitis C-associated osteosclerosis (HCAO), a very rare disorder in which an extremely rapid bone turnover occurs and results in osteosclerosis, was acknowledged in 1990s as a new clinical entity with the unique bone disorder and definite link to chronic type C hepatitis, although the pathogenesis still remains unknown. Affected patients suffer from excruciating deep bone pains. We report the 19th case of HCAO with diagnosis confirmed by bone biopsy, and treated initially with a bisphosphonate, next with corticosteroids and finally with direct acting antivirals (DAA: sofosbuvir and ribavirin) for HCV infection. Risedronate, 17.5 mg/day for 38 days, did not improve the patient’s symptoms or extremely elevated levels of bone markers, which indicated hyper-bone-formation and coexisting hyper-bone-resorption in the patient. Next, intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy followed by high-dose oral administration of prednisolone evidently improved them. DAA therapy initiated after steroid therapy successfully achieved sustained virological response, but no additional therapeutic effect on them was observed. Our results strongly suggested that the underlying immunological alteration is the crucial key to clarify the pathogenesis of HCAO. Bone mineral density of lumbar vertebrae of the patient was increased by 14% in four-month period of observation. Clarification of the mechanisms that develop osteosclerosis in HCAO might lead to a new therapeutic perspective for osteoporosis.

Learning points:

  • HCAO is an extremely rare bone disorder, which occurs exclusively in patients affected with HCV, of which only 18 cases have been reported since 1992 and pathogenesis still remains unclear.

  • Pathophysiology of HCAO is highly accelerated rates of both bone formation and bone resorption, with higher rate of formation than that of resorption, which occur in general skeletal leading to the diffuse osteosclerosis with severe bone pains.

  • Steroid therapy including intravenous pulse administration in our patient evidently ameliorated his bone pains and reduced elevated values of bone markers. This was the first successful treatment for HCAO among cases reported so far and seemed to propose a key to solve the question for its pathogenesis.

  • The speed of increase in the bone mineral content of the patient was very high, suggesting that clarification of the mechanism(s) might lead to the development of a novel therapy for osteoporosis.

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M Horsey Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

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P Hogan Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

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T Oliver Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

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Summary

A 71-year-old woman with severe right lower leg pain, edema and erythema was presented to the Emergency Department and was found to have an extensive deep vein thrombosis (DVT) confirmed by ultrasound. She underwent an extensive evaluation due to her prior history of malignancy and new hypercoagulable state, but no evidence of recurrent disease was detected. Further investigation revealed pernicious anemia (PA), confirmed by the presence of a macrocytic anemia (MCV=115.8fL/red cell, Hgb=9.0g/dL), decreased serum B12 levels (56pg/mL), with resultant increased methylmalonic acid (5303nmol/L) and hyperhomocysteinemia (131μmol/L), the presumed etiology of the DVT. The patient also suffered from autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), and both antithyroglobulin and anti-intrinsic factor antibodies were detected. She responded briskly to anticoagulation with heparin and coumadin and treatment of PA with intramuscular vitamin B12 injections. Our case suggests that a DVT secondary to hyperhomocystenemia may represent the first sign of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome III-B (PAS III-B), defined as the coexistent autoimmune conditions AITD and PA. It is important to recognize this clinical entity, as patients may not only require acute treatment with vitamin B12 supplementation and prolonged anticoagulation, as in this patient, but may also harbor other autoimmune diseases.

Learning points

  • A DVT can be the first physical manifestation of a polyglandular autoimmune syndrome.

  • Hyperhomocysteinemia secondary to pernicious anemia should be considered as an etiology of an unprovoked DVT in a euthyroid patient with autoimmune thyroid disease.

  • Patients with DVT secondary to hyperhomocysteinemia should undergo screening for the presence of co-existent autoimmune diseases in addition to treatment with B12 supplementation and anticoagulation to prevent recurrent thromboembolism.

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A Pazderska Departments of Endocrinology, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

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S Crowther Departments of Cellular Pathology, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

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P Govender Departments of Radiology, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

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K C Conlon Departments of Professional Surgical Unit, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland
Departments of Surgery, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

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M Sherlock Departments of Endocrinology, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland
Departments of Endocrinology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

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J Gibney Departments of Endocrinology, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals, incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland
Departments of Endocrinology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

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Summary

Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a rare presenting feature of endogenous hypercortisolism. If left untreated, complete collapse of the femoral head may ensue, necessitating hip replacement in up to 70% of patients. The majority of the described patients with AVN due to endogenous hypercortisolaemia required surgical intervention. A 36-year-old female, investigated for right leg pain, reported rapid weight gain, bruising and secondary amenorrhoea. She had abdominal adiposity with violaceous striae, facial plethora and hirsutism, atrophic skin, ecchymosis and proximal myopathy. Investigations confirmed cortisol excess (cortisol following low-dose 48h dexamethasone suppression test 807nmol/L; 24h urinary free cortisol 1443nmol (normal<290nmol)). Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) was <5.0pg/mL. CT demonstrated subtle left adrenal gland hypertrophy. Hypercortisolaemia persisted after left adrenalectomy. Histology revealed primary pigmented micronodular adrenal disease. Post-operatively, right leg pain worsened and left leg pain developed, affecting mobility. MRI showed bilateral femoral head AVN. She underwent right adrenalectomy and steroid replacement was commenced. Four months after surgery, leg pain had resolved and mobility was normal. Repeat MRI showed marked improvement of radiological abnormalities in both femoral heads, consistent with spontaneous healing of AVN. We report a case of Cushing’s syndrome due to primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease, presenting with symptomatic AVN of both hips. This was managed conservatively from an orthopaedic perspective. Following cure of hypercortisolaemia, the patient experienced excellent recovery and remains symptom free 4 years after adrenalectomy. This is the first report of a favourable outcome over long-term follow-up of a patient with bilateral AVN of the hip, which reversed with treatment of endogenous hypercortisolaemia.

Learning points

  • AVN of femoral head can be a presenting feature of hypercortisolism, both endogenous and exogenous.

  • Rarely, treatment of hypercortisolaemia can reverse AVN without the need for orthopaedic intervention.

  • Primary pigmented nodular adrenal disease is a rare cause of ACTH-independent Cushing’s syndrome.

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Soham Mukherjee Department of Endocrinology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Anuradha Aggarwal Department of Endocrinology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Ashu Rastogi Department of Endocrinology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Anil Bhansali Department of Endocrinology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Mahesh Prakash Department of Radiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Kim Vaiphei Department of Histopathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Pinaki Dutta Department of Endocrinology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

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Summary

Spontaneous diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is a rare and under diagnosed complication of diabetes mellitus. Clinically it presents with acute to subacute onset swelling, pain and tenderness of muscle(s) without systemic manifestations. MRI is helpful in diagnosis, exclusion of other causes and for localization of affected muscle for biopsy in atypical cases. Muscles of the thighs are commonly affected in diabetic myonecrosis (DMN). Here we present the summary of four cases seen in the last 3 years in a tertiary care centre with simultaneous or sequential involvement of multiple groups of muscles or involvement of uncommon sites. All these patients had advanced duration of diabetes with microvascular complications and poor glycemic control. Conservative management including rest and analgesics is the treatment of choice. Short-term prognosis is good but there may be recurrence.

Learning points

  • A high index of suspicion is required for the diagnosis of DMN which can avoid inadvertent use of antibiotics.

  • Acute–subacute onset severe focal muscle pain in the absence of systemic symptoms in a female patient with long-standing diabetes with microvascular complications suggests DMI.

  • MRI is the most sensitive test for diagnosis.

  • Muscle biopsy should be reserved for atypical cases.

  • Conservative management including rest and analgesics has good outcome.

  • Improvement usually occurs within 6–8 weeks, but there may be recurrence.

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