Myopathies, although presenting more commonly in the younger age group, can occur and contribute signifi cantly to disability in the elderly. To describe the spectrum of elderly myopathies, we reviewed 52 elderly patients (> 65 years) from the University of Malaya Medical Centre muscle biopsy databank, constituting 6.8% of 759 adult patients (> 18 years) who underwent muscle biopsy between 1992 and 2012. Commonest were the infl ammatory myopathies (41/52, 78.8%), of which 43.9% had dermatomyositis; 23.9% polymyositis; 14.6% sporadic inclusion body myositis; 9.8% undifferentiated myositis and 2.4% overlap myositis. Seven patients (13.4%) had genetic myopathy; 2 muscular dystrophy and 5 chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, while 4 patients (7.7%) had drug-associated myopathy, 3 with statins. Malignancies were seen in 9.8% of infl ammatory myopathies at diagnosis. Both acquired and genetic myopathies are seen in elderly Malaysians of all ethnicities and should not be misdiagnosed as some are potentially treatable and/or associated with malignancy.

A 71-year-old lady with rheumatoid arthritis developed painful peripheral vasculitic neuropathy of the lower limbs and was treated with high dose steroid and cyclophosphamide. Eight months later, she presented with left hip and back pain for a week, with minimal relief from regular analgesia. Although the initial pelvic radiograph was normal, a repeat film performed two weeks later showed a destructive lytic lesion in the left pubic bone, confirmed as osteomyelitis with intramuscular collection by MRI. Cloxacillin was started empirically, and when the blood culture isolated methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), it was planned to be given for six weeks via a peripherally inserted central catheter. Despite an initial response, she became febrile on the fifth week of antibiotic therapy. Subsequent blood culture isolated Trichosporon asahii. Her condition deteriorated, and she succumbed on the fourth day of antifungal therapy. In conclusion, the diagnosis of osteomyelitis pubis, a rare complication of MSSA bacteremia, could be delayed in an atypical presentation.
Bacteremia ; Osteomyelitis ;