Polymyositis and covid-19: A morbide association (a case report)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on health systems had a significant effect on the management of inflammatory diseases in the long term and myopathies could be signs of COVID-19, making it difficult to diagnose the cause and effect relationship. An unvaccinated 62-year-old female patient followed for polymyositis was tested positive for COVID-19 on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nasopharyngeal swab revealed by dyspnea and rhinorrhea with fever and pulmonary involvement of 75%. She had an enlarged left ventricle with complete left branch block, inaugural diabetes mellitus with ketosis, kidney dysfunction, and inflammatory syndrome. Despite the early initiation of invasive ventilation in combination with the national protocol against covid-19, the patient died on day 4 of care. The best management should anticipate comorbidities and the evolutionary profile would guide the continuation of the treatment. Polymyositis like other rheumatic diseases was associated with a very high risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19. The combination of elder age and comorbidities led to a severe form of COVID-19 and therefore to a poor prognosis. The article aimed to show the severity of the association of covid-19 with polymyositis at the comorbid stage.