Acquired neuromyotonia in a patient with spinal epidural abscess

P Maddison; N Lawn; K R Mills; A Vincent; M Donaghy

doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199805)21:5<672::aid-mus21>3.0.co;2-w

Acquired neuromyotonia in a patient with spinal epidural abscess

Muscle Nerve. 1998 May;21(5):672-4. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199805)21:5<672::aid-mus21>3.0.co;2-w.

Authors

P Maddison¹, N Lawn, K R Mills, A Vincent, M Donaghy

Affiliation

¹ University Department of Clinical Neurology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, United Kingdom.

PMID: 9572254
DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199805)21:5<672::aid-mus21>3.0.co;2-w

Abstract

We report a case of acquired neuromyotonia in a patient with Staphylococcus aureus septicemia and a spinal epidural abscess. Autoantibodies to voltage-gated potassium channels, which are associated with acquired neuromyotonia, were present during the patient's acute illness but became undetectable on clinical recovery. The spinal epidural abscess may have triggered the production of these specific autoantibodies, resulting in clinically and electromyographically detectable neuromyotonia.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Abscess / complications*
Autoantibodies / analysis
Bacteremia / complications
Electromyography
Electrophysiology
Epidural Space*
Humans
Ion Channel Gating / physiology
Male
Middle Aged
Myotonia / diagnosis
Myotonia / etiology*
Myotonia / immunology
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / complications*
Potassium Channels / immunology
Potassium Channels / physiology
Spinal Diseases / complications
Staphylococcal Infections / complications

Substances

Autoantibodies
Potassium Channels