Polymyositis, alopecia universalis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis in a patient with Crohn's disease

We report a 36-year-old man with Crohn's disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and alopecia universalis. Six years after the onset of intestinal disease, the patient developed severe muscular pain and weakness of the neck. Muscle biopsy revealed myositis. Immunosuppressive treatment led to a significant improvement of muscular symptoms. Myositis in inflammatory bowel disease appears to be an important differential diagnosis in corticoid myopathy. Both alopecia and polymyositis are rarely associated with inflammatory bowel disease; thus, they have to be discussed as extraintestinal manifestations.