Case Report: Dysphagia in Inclusion Body Myositis Leading to Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Complications

Inclusion body Myositis (IBM) stands as a rare and complex neuromuscular disorder (NMD) characterized by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Among its cardinal symptoms are dysphagia and respiratory distress, which are the most common cause of death in this disease. While the differential diagnosis of respiratory distress is vast and includes aspiration, pneumonia, acute coronary syndrome, emphysema, and congestive heart failure, a clinician should recognize that respiratory distress can also be secondary to dysphagia in NMDs like IBM and can quickly become life threating. Here we present the case of a 68-year-old female with a history of IBM who presented for respiratory distress, was found to have severe dysphagia, and subsequently required intubation and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement.