Hypothyroidism with subacute pseudomyotonia--an early form of Hoffmann's syndrome? Report of a case

Muscular cramps: proposals for a new classification

Muscle cramps are involuntary, painful, sudden contractions of the skeletal muscles. They are present in normal subjects under certain conditions (during a strong voluntary contraction, sleep, sports, pregnancy) and in several pathologies such as myopathies, neuropathies, motoneuron diseases, metabolic disorders, hydroelectrolyte imbalances or endocrine pathologies. There has been considerable uncertainty in the literature regarding the classification and nomenclature of muscle cramps, both because the term "cramp" is used to indicate a variety of clinical features of muscles, leading to its use as an imprecise "umbrella" term that includes stiffness, contractures and local pain, and because the spectrum of the diseases in which it appears is wide. The purpose of the present study is to propose a simple classification to provide a framework to better recognize the full spectrum of phenomenology of muscle cramps.

[Hypothyroid hypertrophic myopathy in adults related to chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. A case]

The authors report a case of hypothyroid hypertrophic myopathy which reveal chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. This entity est uncommon, can be the most important sign of hypothyroidism and cure after the institution of thyroid hormone replacement therapy. The E. M. G. is usually myopathic and serum muscle markers (myoglobin and enzymes) increased. Pathologic studies of muscle show caracteritic but non specific and inconstant abnormalities. Hypothyroid myopathy could be caused by a mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation deficiency or changes in muscle contractile properties (both in fibre type proportion and in the properties of the muscle contractile proteins).