Fatal Pneumomediastinum and Subcutaneous Emphysema in a Patient with Dermatomyositis / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

Dermatomyositis is a clinical entity characterized by a distinctive cutaneous rash and inflammatory myopathy. In this disorder, the pneumomediastinum is quite a rare complication and is assumed to result from air leakage due to vasculitis, lung fibrosis or rarely after bronchoscopic lung biopsy and pulmonary function test. We describe patient with dermatomyositis who developed pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax and massive subcutaneous emphysema after pulmonary function test. She died due to respiratory failure. We think that careful observation is required in performing PFT in dermatomyositis patients with presumed interstitial lung diseases.