Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure

Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is an inherited disease that affects muscles used for movement (skeletal muscles) and muscles that are needed for breathing (respiratory muscles).

The major signs and symptoms of HMERF usually appear in adulthood, often in the mid-thirties. Among the earliest signs of the condition are breathing problems and difficulty walking. Weakness of the respiratory muscles, particularly the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the organs in the abdomen from those in the chest), causes breathing problems. This weakness worsens over time and can lead to life-threatening respiratory failure. Some affected individuals have weakness of muscles of the lower leg and foot, which makes it difficult to lift the toes while walking, a condition known as foot drop. Other muscles that become weak in people with HMERF include those of the hips, thighs, upper arms, and neck.

When viewed under a microscope, muscle fibers from affected individuals contain abnormal structures called cytoplasmic bodies. In many cases, the cytoplasmic bodies are arranged side-by-side in a ring inside the muscle fiber, resembling a necklace (necklace cytoplasmic bodies).