Acute quadriplegic myopathy following autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for breast cancer

Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APSCT) is increasing ly used in the treatment of breast cancer. We report a patient who experien ced septic shock, and after treatment with antibiotics, high-dose corticost eroids and mechanical ventilation due to respiratory insufficiency, develop ed quadriplegia, Electroneurophysiological examination, as well as a muscle biopsy, showed a typical picture of acute quadriplegic myopathy with loss of thick filament proteins. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the firs t reported case of this complication following APSCT.