Chronic thyreotoxic neuromyopathy was observed in four patients. The f
irst two cases were observed in a 43-year-old woman and a 60-year-old
man, in the man, muscle disorders were the first manifestation and in
the woman they were preceded by Graves' hyperthyroidism. Muscle signs
were seen as functional impotency with amyotrophy of the girdle which
was major in the man and minor in the woman, in a find case, a pyramid
al syndrome was associated with polyneuropathy in a 28-year old man, L
aboratory tests showed hyperthyroidism; neurological signs regressed w
ith antithyroid drug therapy. A fourth case presented as thyrotoxic hy
pokaliemic periodic palsy in a 37-year-old man who had loss 12 kg over
a two month period after a psychological stress. This man then experi
enced two acute episodes of hypokaliemia and hypotonic tetraplegia. Th
ese signs were linked to Graves' hyperthyroidism. Clinical course was
good under carbimazole and then radioactive iodine. These four cases i
llustrate the reality of thyrotoxic neuromyopathies in black Africans.