Abstract
A 35-year-old man affected with pulmonary sarcoidosis had a 12-year history of fatigue and pain in the limbs, with normal neurological examination, except for diffusely absent deep tendon reflexes. Muscle biopsy samples showed multiple noncaseating granulomas, most prominent around the intramuscular nerves, with predominance of CD4+ cells. Intramuscular nerve bundles surrounded by granulomas were immunolabelled with laminin α1, α2, β1 and γ1 chain, and collagen IV. Sural nerve biopsy samples were normal. This patient showed a unique histopathological pattern of sarcoid neuromyopathy characterized by distribution of granulomas or infiltrating cells around intramuscular nerve fibers. The clinical picture, restricted to nonspecific symptoms of fatigue and myalgia, and loss of deep tendon reflexes, correlated well with the selective localization of sarcoid lesions in contiguity with the intramuscular nerves. To our knowledge, this peculiar clinico-pathological correlation has not been reported previously.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 18 July 1997 / Accepted: 29 October 1997
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gemignani, F., Bellanova, M., Salih, S. et al. Sarcoid neuromyopathy with selective involvement of the intramuscular nerves. Acta Neuropathol 95, 437–441 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010050822
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010050822