A case of periodic-fever-syndrome-like disorder with lipodystrophy, myositis, and autoimmune abnormalities

A 24-year-old Japanese woman had been suffering from a periodic fever since 10 months of age. She developed deformities in her fingers, with severe atrophy of subcutaneous adipose tissue, myositis, and frostbitten hands. She showed elevated C-reactive protein, creatine kinase, and γ-globulin. She was also positive for antinuclear, anti-DNA, anti-SS-B, and anti-U1RNP antibodies. Her myositis was similar to amyopathic dermatomyositis rather than juvenile dermatomyositis. Although consanguineous marriage of her parents and early onset of disease suggested her disease as a hereditary disorder with periodic fever, her clinical feature and laboratory tests were unlike any known periodic fever syndromes. Her disease was regarded as a unique type of periodic-fever-syndrome-like disorder with autoimmune abnormalities.