Neuromyotonia, myocloni, sensory neuropathy and cerebellar symptoms in a patient with antibodies to neuronal nucleoproteins (anti-Hu-antibodies)

A middle-aged patient presented with subacute muscular stiffness, myocloni of both extremity and facial muscles, gait ataxia and symmetrical distal pa inful paraesthesias. Electrophysiologically, neuromyotonia was confirmed. H igh titer anti-Hu antibodies were detected, but no other paraneoplastic ant ibodies were found. small-cell lung cancer was diagnosed. Under chemotherap y tumor remission was achieved and, except for minor sensory deficits, neur ological symptoms disappeared. This report shows that paraneoplastic syndro mes associated with antibodies to neuronal nucleoproteins (anti-Hu antibodi es) may be associated with a syndrome including neuromyotonia, sensory neur opathy, cerebellar symptoms and myocloni. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.