Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome
Overview
Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome (EMS) is a rare condition. It was first described in 1989 after 3 patients in New Mexico were found to have an illness with marked myalgia and eosinophilia. They had all taken preparations containing L-tryptophan. An epidemic illness then became evident in the USA. In total, over 1,500 people were affected of whom more than 30 died.1 At the same time there were cases reported in Germany, Canada and 11 cases in the United Kingdom. Since this epidemic, very few cases have been identified
Symptoms
* Fatigue * Dry mouth * Weight loss * Muscle pain * Muscle spasm
Causes
Acute muscle overuse/excessive physical exertion –Usually due to exercising poorly conditioned muscles Systemic febrile illness (e.g., influenza) Drugs/medications (e.g., statins) Electrolyte disturbances –Especially abnormalities of potassium, calcium, or magnesium Chronic overuse syndromes –Frequently related to occupational or vocational activities Myopathies –Metabolic: Usually result in muscle pain related to exercise –Dystrophies (e.g., mitochondrial myopathies) –Inflammatory (e.g., polymyositis, dermatomyositis) –Toxic (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, statins) –Infectious muscle disease (viral, bacterial, parasitic)