Diabetes-Associated Focal Myonecrosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Diabetes-associated focal myonecrosis is a rare complication seen in individuals with long-standing uncontrolled diabetes, characterized by inflammation and necrosis of a single or group of muscles. The exact cause of this condition is not well understood, but it is believed to be due to focal muscle infarction secondary to arteriosclerosis and diabetic microangiopathy. Diagnosis is challenging and often requires clinical examination, lab investigations, imaging, and EMG. Treatment is mainly supportive with pain control and tight glycemic control, and surgical intervention is rarely needed. The clinical presentation includes a sudden onset of localized pain and swelling in the affected muscle, which may be accompanied by fever, malaise, and weight loss. Diabetic myonecrosis exhibits a slightly higher prevalence in females and commonly manifests at an early stage. While the short-term prognosis is good, the recurrence rate is high, often affecting the opposite limb within six months. Our case describes a 35-year-old young male with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, diagnosed one year ago, who presented with medial thigh pain and tenderness for the last two days. Due to his early disease, focal myonecrosis was not our first differential diagnosis. A CT scan with contrast revealed findings consistent with either focal myositis or infarction. We ruled out other causes, including infections, autoimmune disease, trauma, and medications, and in combination with the patient's uncontrolled diabetes mellites, a diagnosis of diabetes-associated focal myonecrosis was made. The patient improved with blood sugar control and supportive care, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.