Antisynthetase syndrome, a rare cause of respiratory failure

A 72-year-old patient was admitted to the intensive care unit with respiratory failure due to rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD). All cultures and PCRs focused on ILD were negative and a paraneoplastic phenomenon was deemed unlikely after screening for malignancy. Inflammatory myositis was suspected as the patient also presented fever, progressive pitting oedema and arthritis in both hands and feet. A myositis blot revealed high titres of anti-Jo-1 antibodies: the patient was diagnosed with antisynthetase syndrome and was treated with high-dose corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and intravenous immunoglobulins with a gradual full recovery. Antisynthetase syndrome should be considered in patients with idiopathic or rapidly progressive ILD.