Neuralgic amyotrophy as a presenting feature of infective endocarditis
- aDiabetes, Endocrinology and General Medicine, Arrowe Park Hospital, Upton, Wirral, UK, bDepartment of Cardiology, Taunton and Somerset Hospital, Taunton
- Dr P English, Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Group, Clinical Sciences Centre, University Hospital Aintree, Lower Lane, Liverpool L69 7AL, UK (penglish{at}liv.ac.uk)
- Received 12 January 2000
- Accepted 6 March 2000
Abstract
A 35 year old man presented to his general practitioner with severe right shoulder pain and subsequent weakness and wasting of the muscles in the affected shoulder girdle three weeks after a dental filling. His symptoms persisted despite standard treatment. He developed malaise, night sweats, weight loss, a petechial rash and a microcytic anaemia. On admission to hospital three months after the start of his symptoms he had also developed splenomegaly and the murmur of aortic regurgitation. Investigations confirmed the diagnoses of infective endocarditis and neuralgic amyotrophy. In this case neuralgic amyotrophy appears to have been the presenting feature of infective endocarditis. This association has not previously been described.
