Inflammatory myopathy associated with mixed connective tissue disease and scleroderma renal crisis

Mixed connective tissue disease is a rheumatological syndrome with neuromuscular manifestations that may include inflammatory myopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome. We report a patient who presented with an inflammatory myopathy and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome prior to the diagnosis of a connective tissue disorder. Early in the course of treatment, a syndrome of acute renal failure developed. Knowledge of this syndrome, scleroderma renal crisis, and its possible relation to corticosteroid treatment is important to clinicians involved in the management of patients with inflammatory myopathies.