Case description
A 56-year-old man with a past medical history of hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, presented with progressive generalized weakness for 4 months. He had been on atorvastatin 40 mg daily for a few months before the symptoms started. Atorvastatin was discontinued when he started having weakness, which started with the slowing of his gait and increased fatigue; and then, progressed to aching shoulders. He noticed difficulty standing from a squatting position and later from a seated position.
Despite stopping Atorvastatin, his symptoms continued to progress to the point he was bed-bound, unable to roll on the bed without assistance. He also complained of dysphagia which led to unintentional 60-pound weight loss since the onset of his symptoms. Physical examination was notable for generalized muscle wasting, proximal muscle weakness grade I-II/V, and distal group grade III-IV/V on both upper and lower extremities.