Severe inflammatory myopathy in a pulmonary carcinoma patient treated with Pembrolizumab: An alert for myologists

Article type: Case Report

Authors: Peverelli, L.^a | De Rosa, A.^{b; *} | Domina, E.^a | Ciscato, P.^b | Sita, G.^c | Velardo, D.^b | Comi, G.P.^{b; d}

Affiliations: [a] ASST Lodi, Ospedale Maggiore di Lodi, Neurology Unit, Lodi, Italy | [b] Neuromuscular and Rare Diseases Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy | [c] ASST Lodi, Ospedale Maggiore di Lodi, Oncology Unit, Lodi, Italy | [d] Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Anna De Rosa, MD, Neuromuscular and Rare Diseases Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy. Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan (Italy). Tel.: +39 02 99056504; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: Immune-related adverse events (irAE) during the administration of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) become more evident due to the increased use of these therapies. To remind the importance of early recognition of this phenomenon, we report a paradigmatic case characterized by severe systemic inflammatory myopathy and severe cardiac involvement that abruptly precipitated in an untoward ending after one single dose of Pembrolizumab.

Keywords: Pembrolizumab, inflammatory myopathy, pulmonary carcinoma, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, immune-correlated adverse events

DOI: 10.3233/JND-200504

Journal: Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 511-514, 2020