Hypernatremic myopathy caused by a hypothalamic mixed germ cell tumor mimicking polymyositis

Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Sep;26(9):1591-4. doi: 10.1007/s10067-006-0481-1. Epub 2006 Nov 29.

Abstract

Hypernatremic myopathy was rarely reported in the literature and its clinical features have never been well-described. We present a 22-year-old man who had adipsic hypernatremia manifested with progressive proximal muscle weakness and remarkably high creatine kinase level that has never been reported in the cases of hypernatremic myopathy. His initial presentations were similar to that of polymyositis without the evidence of central nervous system dysfunction and hypopituitarism. The serum level of sodium at the beginning of myopathy is the lowest known in the literature. All the clinical presentations in this patient resulted from a hypothalamic mixed germ cell tumor with sub-acute intra-tumoral hemorrhage.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Hypernatremia / etiology*
  • Hypothalamic Neoplasms / complications
  • Hypothalamic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Male
  • Muscular Diseases / etiology*
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / complications
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / diagnosis*
  • Polymyositis / diagnosis*