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Myotonia in colchicine myoneuropathy
Author(s) -
Rutkove Seward B.,
De Girolami Umberto,
Preston David C.,
Freeman Roy,
Nardin Rachel A.,
Gouras Gunnar K.,
Johns Donald R.,
Raynor Elizabeth M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199607)19:7<870::aid-mus9>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - myotonia , discontinuation , colchicine , medicine , electromyography , myalgia , vacuolization , anesthesia , myotonic dystrophy , physical medicine and rehabilitation
Colchicine may induce a myoneuropathy in patients with renal insufficiency. To date, myotonia has not been described in this disorder. We recently studied 4 patients treated with routine doses of colchicine who, in the setting of renal insufficiency, developed a severe myoneuropathy characterized by prominent myotonic discharges on electromyography. In addition, 1 of the 4 patients had profound clinical myotonia. In the 3 patients in whom biopsies were performed, marked myopathic change with intracytoplasmic vacuolization was identified. All 4 patients improved rapidly with discontinuation of the medication. The patient in whom electrophysiologic studies were repeated had a complete resolution of the myotonic discharges. Colchicine myoneuropathy can present with prominent clinical and electrophysiologic myotonia that resolves completely with discontinuation of the medication. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.