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Role of muscle biopsy in diagnosis of extraocular muscles enlargement

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Abstract

Purpose

To study the role of muscle biopsy in patients with enlarged extraocular muscles.

Methods

A retrospective review of 31 patients who underwent biopsy for extraocular muscle enlargement. Characteristics, including signs, symptoms, imaging findings, and histopathological assessment were examined.

Results

Chronic inflammatory disorders represented the most common cause of the muscle enlargement followed by malignancy/metastasis. Multiple muscle involvement was more consistent with benign diseases, whereas single muscle involvement was more consistent with malignant causes. Positive predictive value of muscle biopsy was 0.52 for determining a specific cause of the muscle enlargement.

Conclusions

Muscle biopsy is the standard for diagnosis in patients with extraocular muscle enlargement. This diagnostic test should be performed in every case of non-resolving muscle enlargement, with a specific diagnosis being made in over half of cases.

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Data availability

The data of this manuscript are available upon request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The Egyptian government and the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities for the grant No: JS 3492 to conduct this research between Egypt and USA. Team members of the pathology department in both Tanta University and UCSD for their effective collaboration in the histopathological interpretation of the muscle biopsy slides.

Funding

This research project was funded by grant No: JS 3492 from the Egyptian Government and the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, El Bahr St., Tanta, 31111, Gharbia, Egypt

    Mahmoud M. Abouelatta, Osama E. Shalaby, Amr M. Awara & Mohammed A. Eldesouky

  2. Division of Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Ophthalmology, Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, 9415 Campus Point Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Mahmoud M. Abouelatta, Don O. Kikkawa & Catherine Y. Liu

Authors
  1. Mahmoud M. Abouelatta
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  2. Osama E. Shalaby
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  3. Amr M. Awara
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  4. Don O. Kikkawa
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  5. Catherine Y. Liu
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  6. Mohammed A. Eldesouky
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. MAE selected the appropriate cases for inclusion in the study. MMA acquired institutional approval in Egypt, conducted the procedure on the patients, collected patient data, statically analyzed these data, and wrote this manuscript. CYL acquired institutional approval in UCSD. OES, AMA and DOK revised this manuscript both scientifically and linguistically.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahmoud M. Abouelatta.

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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Abouelatta, M.M., Shalaby, O.E., Awara, A.M. et al. Role of muscle biopsy in diagnosis of extraocular muscles enlargement. Int Ophthalmol 43, 717–723 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-022-02470-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-022-02470-8

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