Dexamethasome Myopathy

Effect of Steroids on Muscle

“…The electromyographic findings tended to support the clinical observations and were similar to those previously reported (Golding 1960 somewhat decreased in all dogs after 3 weeks therapy; otherwise, the findings were similar to those from normal dogs. Fibrillation potentials were not de¬ tected in any of the recordings.…”

“…Moderate or severe muscle weakness as a result of steroid therapy is most often reported to occur in patients receiving triamcinolone (9a-fluoro-16a-hydroxyprednisolone) (Dubois 1958;Freyberg et al 1958;MacLean 8c Shurr 1959;Robinson 8c Robinson 1959;Strausz Se Janikovszky 1960) and only rarely in patients treated with other steroid compounds (Golding 1960;Strausz 8c Jani¬ kovszky 1960). According to Dubois (Dubois 1958) absolute correlation be¬ tween the magnitude of the dose of triamcinolone and the development of muscle weakness does not exist; however, muscular weakness is most likely to occur in patients treated with large doses for periods longer than 3 weeks.…”

Iatrogenic Neurological Diseases

“…Subsequently Golding & Begg (1960) reported a similar case of myopathy with electromyographic evidence in a patient receiving dexamethasone, a very potent synthetic corticosteroid. In several of the cases reported the myopathy has been reversed when the offending steroid has been withdrawn and prednisone substituted.…”

Bilateral Rupture of Achilles Tendons

“…Simultaneous Bilateral Rupture of Achilles Tendons Due to Triamcinolone Cramps, muscle-wasting, and myopathy are well-known complications of corticosteroid therapy. They occur most commonly with triamcinolone (Dubois, 1958;Kendall and Hart, 1959;Neustadt, 1959), but have also been described after cortisone (Perkoff et al, 1959), prednisone (Harman, 1959, fludrocortisone (MacLean and Schurr, 1959), and dexamethasone (Duvenci et al, 1959;Golding and Begg, 1960). The following case is of interest, as the patient developed simultaneous bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendons as a sequel to triamcinolone therapy, given for chronic discoid lupus erythematosus (chronic L.E.…”