Polymyositis presenting with respiratory failure.

Polymyositis is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterised by inflammatory myopathy of the skeletal muscles predominantly affecting the proximal muscles and associated with extra-muscular manifestations like dysphagia and skin involvement. In this case report, we describe the occurrence of diaphragmatic weakness and respiratory failure due to polymyositis with relatively well preserved power in limb muscles.

Stiff person syndrome and myasthenia gravis.

Association of stiff person syndrome, an immune related disorder of anterior horn cells and myasthenia gravis an endplate disorder with similar pathogenesis, is rare. This communication documents this association in the Indian literature for the first time.