Acquired Neuromyotonia with Minor Central Symptoms and Antibodies against Voltage- Gated Potassium Channels –  a Case Report

Summary

A 52- ye ar- old still he althy man developed, over several weeks, a myalgic syndrome with fatigue and muscle we akness, tingling and fasciculati on, predominantly in the lower limbs. Such disorders ca used inability to walk independently. Upon admissi on, the clinical findings included muscle we akness and muscle stiffness with tenderness, a utonomic symptoms with swe ating, intermittent tachycardi a, constipati on, and also personality and behavi oral changes with insomni a and late- night confusi on. The electromyography showed a persisting activity with discharges, which were provoked by voluntary activity, and in particular by the stimulati on of motor fibres. The pati ent was tre ated with carbamazepine and methylprednisolone. Hypertoni a, myalgi a and central symptoms subsided. At that stage, the results came back with highly elevated antibodi es against voltage- gated potassi um channels in serum. However, the pati ent suddenly di ed of malignant arrhythmi a.

Key words:
neuromyotonia – Morvan’s disease – 
voltage-gated potassium channels – arrhythmia – myokymia – fasciculation