Aluminum inclusion macrophagic myofasciitis: a recently identified condition

Macrophagic myofasciitis associated with vaccine‐derived aluminium

Macrophagic myofasciitis is characterised by sheets of macrophages in striated muscle, a few lymphocytes and inconspicuous muscle fibre damage. It is due to aluminium contained in vaccines, and is localised to the inoculation site. We report the first Australian case, detected incidentally when investigating a raised serum creatine kinase level.

Coexistence d’une dermatomyosite et d’une myofasciite à macrophages

INTRODUCTION

An inflammatory myopathy, characterised by joint and muscle pain, chronic asthenia, with infiltration of peri-fascicular epimysium, perimysium and endomysium by cells of the macrophagic line, macrophagic myofasciitis is often associated with other, generally auto-immune, affections. However, the coexistence with another inflammatory myopathy is relatively rare.

OBSERVATION

A 29 year-old woman presented with 2 distinct inflammatory myopathies, a macrophagic myofasciitis and a dermatomyositis, which had appeared a few years after.

DISCUSSION

In the rare cases in which 2 inflammatory myopathies are combined, the precise relationship between them is unknown, an individual susceptibility to developing muscle diseases is suggested.