CROHNS-DISEASE AND GASTROCNEMIUS VASCULITIS - 2 NEW CASES

We report two cases of gastroenemius muscle vasculitis revealing Crohn 's disease, Gastrocnemius muscle biopsy evidenced a necrotizing vascul itis resembling panarteritis nodosa in one case; a nonnecrotizing vasc ulitis was found in the other case, Neither of the patients had system ic vasculitic involvement, and the muscle disease resembled calf muscl e-located panarteritis nodosa, Our literature review shows five cases of calf-located myalgia occurring during Crohn's disease characterized by heterogenous histopathological findings including vasculitic and m yositic lesions, Thus, faced with calf-located myalgia with vasculitis or myositis, a search for Crohn's disease is probably necessary to de termine precisely the frequency and the etiopathogenic mechanisms of t his association.