Ezetimibe-induced Relapsing Polymyositis: Table 1

Abstract

The association of statins and myopathy is well established. Much less recognized, however, is the development of muscle involvement following the use of ezetimibe, another lipid-lowering agent introduced recently1–5. We describe a patient with polymyositis (PM) in remission who relapsed after starting therapy with this newer lipid-lowering medication. A 59-year-old African American woman had biopsy-proven PM diagnosed in 2003; she was in complete remission following therapy with tapering doses of prednisone and methotrexate (MTX) for 5 years, and was maintained on weekly oral MTX 15 mg. She was seen on routine followup in September 2008. At that time, she was asymptomatic and performing activities of daily living without difficulties, and had normal muscle strength on examination, and also normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum levels of creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) and aldolase. Her history revealed a well controlled hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia. She returned a … Address correspondence to Dr. L.R. Espinoza; E-mail: luisrolan{at}msn.com