Premium
Combined lung fibrosis and ‘mechanic’s hand': A clinical diagnostic clue to amyopathic antisynthetase syndrome
Author(s) -
YANG ChihJen,
SHEU ChauChyun,
OU TsanTeng,
HWANG JhiJhu,
HUANG MingShyan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2008.01260.x
Subject(s) - antisynthetase syndrome , medicine , interstitial lung disease , prednisolone , pulmonary fibrosis , myopathy , dermatology , inflammatory myopathy , lung , muscle biopsy , lung biopsy , biopsy , hypersensitivity pneumonitis , fibrosis , pathology , surgery
Combined interstitial lung disease and the presence of ‘mechanic’s hands' could be a clinical clue in the early diagnosis of the rare disease, amyopathic antisynthetase syndrome for which anti‐Jo‐1 antibody is a useful diagnostic tool. The case is reported of a patient who suffered from shortness of breath and dry cough, with pulmonary fibrosis on CXR and CT scan, and interstitial pneumonitis on trans ‐bronchial biopsy. She was also positive for anti‐Jo‐1 and anti‐Ro antibodies. ‘Mechanic’s hands' were noted bilaterally but with no evidence of myopathy in either the electromyogram or on muscle biopsy. The patient was treated with prednisolone and her clinical picture, including the ‘mechanic’s hands' and lung fibrosis, subsided gradually, suggesting that the sign may be a useful follow up tool in this disease. Early diagnosis and corticosteroid therapy could be beneficial for these patients.