A Case of Anti-OJ Antibody-positive Antisynthetase Myopathy Diagnosed after Pulmonary Embolization

Abstract

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, such as dermatomyositis, are implicated as possible risk factors for venous thromboembolism. We herein report the first known case of a 50-year-old woman who presented to our hospital with a fever, chest pain, and elevated creatine kinase levels and was ultimately diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and anti-OJ antibody-positive antisynthetase myopathy. Dermatomyositis may increase the risk of venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism. However, only a few cases of pulmonary embolism developing before the diagnosis of inflammatory myositis have been reported. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy should be considered as a differential diagnosis when creatine kinase levels are elevated in patients with pulmonary embolism.