Muscle infarction. An unknown complication of diabetes mellitus.

Introduction. - Diabetic muscle infarction (MI) is a rare and little-known complication of diabetes mellitus. Case report. - We report a case of relapsing MI in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested the diagnosis. A 53-year-old man with multi-compli cated type II diabetes mellitus was admitted to our unit for illness and de ep tumefaction of the right thigh. Because of unconclusive MRI, a muscular biopsy of the lesion was performed and MI confirmed. Three months after, a left relapse of MI occurred. Immediate treatment with immobilization and he parinotherapy permitted a rapid recovery. Conclusion. - About 70 previously reported cases are reviewed. The mean age at presentation was about 70 years. MI was usually seen in patients with l ong-standing diabetes with multiple end organ microvascular complications. Homo- or heterolateral recurrences are reported in almost half of the patie nts. MRI is the best imaging technique for suggesting the diagnosis. (C) 19 99 Editons scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.