Pulmonary hypertension in polymyositis

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is an uncommon but lethal complication of polymyositis. A 69-year-old woman is described who had a 20-month history of polymyositis and cardiac failure and in whom severe pulmonary hypertension was noted terminally when she was first seen at our clinic. She died within 24 hours of admission, and autopsy revealed severe plexogenic pulmonary vascular disease.