Background: Individuals with autoantibodies against melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA-5) are reported to have a significant risk of developing rapidly progressive and fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD) in clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis patients (CADM). Previous cohort studies of dermatomyositis patients who have been systematically evaluated for the presence of anti-MDA5 antibodies and associated clinical features and [...]

Case Presentation: A 36-year-old female with a history of morbid obesity and hypertension presented with three weeks of progressive dyspnea and productive cough. She was previously diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and completed two five-day courses of azithromycin, without improvement in her symptoms. She denied smoking but reported increased smoke inhalation due to local forest fires. [...]

Case Presentation: A 70-year-old Caucasian woman with history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation presented with persistent exertional dyspnea, fatigue, malaise, and anorexia for the past few days. She was recently discharged for community-acquired pneumonia twice at another institution without improvement of nonproductive cough, mild proximal muscle weakness, and exertional dyspnea. She was [...]

Case Presentation: A 63 year old male with no past medical history was admitted with five months of bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness as well as a pruritic, erythematous rash on his face, arms, and back. This was followed by progressive dysphagia. Initial workup, including a pectoralis muscle biopsy showing necrotizing myopathy, and MRI [...]

Case Presentation: A 68-year-old man with hypertension and osteoarthritis presented with fever, cough, dyspnea, and weight loss for 2 months. Prior to admission, he had received antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia without improvement. Physical exam showed multiple ulcers at the base and sides of tongue, bilateral palmar erythematous papules with ulceration and scaling, bilateral erythematous plaques [...]

Case Presentation: A 24-year-old man with a history of relapsing juvenile dermatomyositis inactive for five years presented with one week of anosmia, dysgeusia, and rash. He also had fatigue and myalgias but no fevers, cough, or dyspnea. His exam was notable for a diffuse maculopapular rash with occasional crusted papules on the proximal upper and [...]

Case Presentation: An 84-year-old Caucasian male with a history of hyperlipidemia presented to his primary care provider with a 6-week history of an erythematous rash with associated proximal limb weakness but without complaint of breathing or swallowing difficulties. Statin-induced rash with myopathy were suspected so his statin was stopped, and he was referred for skin [...]

Case Presentation: A 44 year-old Hispanic female with a past medical history of hypothyroidism presented from her endocrinologist with a diffuse, maculopapular rash, including the face, hands, wrists, torso, arms and legs. The rash had been intermittent for the past six years, painful, pruritic, and exacerbated by sunlight. She also complained of joint pain and [...]

Case Presentation: A 36-year-old Laotian female with a history of hypothyroidism presented with 3 days of worsening symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and anasarca. She was recently seen at another hospital and presented with one day of worsening throat swelling and diffuse anasarca. Over the next 2 months, she developed dysphagia requiring gastrostomy tube and was [...]

Case Presentation: Patient presented to the ED in June 2019 with 6 month history of progressive proximal bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness, swallowing difficulty and 100 lbs. weight loss over 3 months. Exam was significant for decreased strength of bilateral hip flexors, knee flexors and knee extensors with intact reflexes. Labs were significant for [...]