Continuous muscle fibre activity: a case treated with acetazolamide

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 256 - 258
• Main Authors: Çelebı˙soy, Neşe, Çolakoǧlu, Zafer, Akbaba, Yaprak, Yüceyar, Nur
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-02-1998; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: acetazolamide; Acetazolamide - pharmacology; Acetazolamide - therapeutic use; Adult; Ataxia; Biological and medical sciences; Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors - pharmacology; continuous muscle fibre activity syndrome; Electromyography; Fasciculation - complications; Female; Humans; Medical sciences; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle Rigidity - complications; Muscle Rigidity - drug therapy; Muscle, Skeletal - innervation; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - drug therapy; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Potassium; Rodents; Short Report; Sodium; Urinary system; Human; Nervous system diseases; Sulfonamide; Enzyme; Acetazolamide; Enzyme inhibitor; Lyases; Case study; Chemotherapy; Pseudomyotonia; Treatment; Female; Carbonate dehydratase; Peripheral nerve disease; Carbon-oxygen lyases; Hydro-lyases
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.64.2.256

A case is reported of the continuous muscle fibre activity syndrome, which includes a group of disorders characterised by sustained motor unit activity due to hyperactivity of peripheral nerve motor axons. In this patient the muscle stiffness and myokymic movements were successfully treated with acetazolamide, which acts as a membrane stabiliser either by blockade of chloride and bicarbonate membrane transport or by producing kaliuresis and raising the transmembrane potential by decreasing extracellular potassium.