Rhabdomyolysis and COVID-19 Infection: Is It Due to Statin Use or Anti-TIF1-y Antibodies?

Authors

  • Emmanuel C. Mantilla Department of Neurology, John Peter Smith Health Network, Fort Worth, TX
  • Mamatha Pasnoor Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Division, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
  • Mazen M. Dimachkie, M.D. Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Division, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17161/rrnmf.v1i3.13719

Keywords:

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, rhabdomyolysis, myositis, inflammatory myopathy, anti-TIF1-y antibody

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), now a global pandemic, has infected millions of people and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths.  Neurological presentation of the novel coronavirus includes headaches, seizures, myalgias, hyposmia, ageusia, etc. Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and its variant, Miller Fisher Syndrome, have been reported in COVID-19 patients presenting with lower limb weakness, paresthesia, facial diplegia, and ataxia. Most recently, large vessel occlusion strokes were seen in infected younger patients without vascular risk factors. We present a novel case of rhabdomyolysis associated with COVID-19 infection in a patient on atorvastatin, in whom we detected positive anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 gamma antibodies (anti-TIF1-y Ab). Bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness improved with aggressive fluid administration and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) at 0.4mg/kg for a total of 5 days. Interrupting a strong cytokine response with IVIg early on during the disease may have led to rapid improvement.

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Published

2020-07-17

Issue

Section

Clinic and Case Reports

How to Cite

Mantilla, E., Pasnoor, M., & Dimachkie, M. (2020). Rhabdomyolysis and COVID-19 Infection: Is It Due to Statin Use or Anti-TIF1-y Antibodies?. RRNMF Neuromuscular Journal, 1(3), 22-25. https://doi.org/10.17161/rrnmf.v1i3.13719