Musculoskeletal Tuberculosis in Dermatomyositis: Association or Coincidence?

Dermatomyositis is a rare idiopathic inflammatory myopathy characterized by proximal muscle weakness associated with typical skin abnormalities and compatible electromyographic finds. Tuberculosis could determine several clinical manifestations but the classic one is the lung presentation. Among the extra pulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis, the musculoskeletal form is rare and it is usually a direct extension of the bone involvement nearby. In the present study, the authors described two dermatomyositis patients and musculoskeletal tuberculosis. In both cases, there was presence of bilateral tenosynovitis, which is considered atypical for further infectious.