Crohn's disease and gastrocnemius vasculitis: two new cases

Am J Gastroenterol. 1997 May;92(5):880-2.

Abstract

We report two cases of gastrocnemius muscle vasculitis revealing Crohn's disease. Gastrocnemius muscle biopsy evidenced a necrotizing vasculitis resembling panarteritis nodosa in one case; a nonnecrotizing vasculitis was found in the other case. Neither of the patients had systemic vasculitic involvement, and the muscle disease resembled calf muscle-located panarteritis nodosa. Our literature review shows five cases of calf-located myalgia occurring during Crohn's disease characterized by heterogenous histopathological findings including vasculitic and myositic lesions. Thus, faced with calf-located myalgia with vasculitis or myositis, a search for Crohn's disease is probably necessary to determine precisely the frequency and the etiopathogenic mechanisms of this association.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Crohn Disease / complications*
  • Crohn Disease / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Skeletal / blood supply*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Vasculitis / etiology*
  • Vasculitis / pathology