[Endocrine myopathies].

Abstract

Disturbances in the endocrine system induce a myopathy by acting on protein synthesis or on energetic metabolic pathways. Thus, a proximal myopathy is seen in hypercorticism, hyper- or hypothyroidism and acromegaly. On the other hand, endocrine disorders modify the transsarcolemmal balance in electrolytes, inducing generalized paresia, as in adrenal insufficiency or in thyrotoxic periodic paralysis. The diagnosis is usually easy if a muscle disorder occurs in a complete clinical feature of endocrinopathy but a myopathy may reveal it. Moreover, the steroid myopathy induced by iatrogenic glucocorticoid excess may lead to confusion in patients treated for an inflammatory myopathy. The treatment of endocrine myopathies is based on the correction of the hormonal disorder.