STUDIES IN DYSTROPHIA MYOTONICA. IV. MYOTONIA: ITS NATURE AND OCCURRENCE

31 December 1939

journal article
research article
Published by American College of Physicians in Annals of Internal Medicine

Vol. 13 (7) , 1174-1183
https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-13-7-1174

Abstract

In a series of contractions myotonia (delay in muscular relaxation) diminishes each time the contraction is repeated. Correspondingly it is worse after a period of rest and also with increase in force of contraction. Myotonia associated with voluntary contractions is decreased by quinine, by adrenalin, by Ca given intraven., and by insulin when symptoms of hypoglycemia are present. A comparison of the characteristics of myotonia with those of several contractures suggests that myotonia may be a contracture. Myotonia occurs classically in myotonia con-genita. It occurs most commonly in dystrophia myotonica. It occurs rarely under the influence of cold and infrequently in persons without a hereditary background. In the severely hypothyroid state some patients show, in addition to the usual signs of hypothyroid ism, muscular hypertrophy and myotonia.

Keywords

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:

STUDIES IN DYSTROPHIA MTOTONICA. L HEREDITARY ASPECTS
The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 1939