Les myopathies du sujet âgé

Myopathies in the elderly are relatively frequent and regularly underestimated. The clinical manifestations suggestive of a myopathy are somewhat unspecific: myalgia, weakness, fatigue or intolerance during effort and the problem is linking them to ageing. Certain genetic myopathies only appear in adulthood, sometimes after the fifth decade. But the great majority of myopathies in the elderly are of acquired origin: dysimmune (notably inclusion body myositis), endocrine (thyroiditis) and above all toxic or iatrogenic first of all due to two myotoxic drugs: corticoids and hypercholesterol lowering drugs (mainly statins). It is necessary, when confronted with any persistent myalgia or muscular fatigability, to request muscular enzymes and an electromyography before referring the patient to a specialized department.