CASE REPORT - Spontaneous bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendon in an elderly woman undergoing prednisone pulse therapy

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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2006 Sep 30;150(39):2155-8.Links

[spontaneous bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendon in an elderly

woman undergoing prednisone pulse therapy with a history of

polymyalgia rheumatica][Article in Dutch]

de Wolf MM, van der Krans A, Frijns CJ.

Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Postbus 85.500, 3508 GA Utrecht.

An 83-year-old woman presented at the neurology out-patient clinic

with acute bilateral weakness of the calf muscles that had lasted for

a few weeks. Ultrasound and MRI evaluation of the Achilles tendons

revealed bilateral ruptures. Possible predisposing factors included

treatment with prednisone pulse therapy for obstructive pulmonary

disease and prior polymyalgia rheumatica. Surgical reconstruction of

the tendons resulted in a major clinical improvement. Rupture of the

Achilles tendons can occur spontaneously, and sometimes bilaterally. A

predisposing factor is present in nearly every case of spontaneous

bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendons. As in spontaneous

unilateral ruptures, the most frequently described predisposing factor

is the use of corticosteroids or quinolones.

PMID: 17059091

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17059091

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