ACQUIRED NEUROMYOTONIA IN A PATIENT WITH SPINAL EPIDURAL ABSCESS

We report a case of acquired neuromyotonia in a patient with Staphyloc occus aureus septicemia and a spinal epidural abscess. Autoantibodies to voltage-gated potassium channels, which are associated with acquire d neuromyotonia, were present during the patient's acute illness but b ecame undetectable on clinical recovery. The spinal epidural abscess m ay have triggered the production of these specific autoantibodies, res ulting in clinically and electromyographically detectable neuromyotoni a. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.