Is there a link between exertional heat stroke and susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia?

Objective: The identification of a predisposition toward malignant hyperthermia (MH) as a risk factor for exertional heat stroke (EHS) remains a matter of debate. Such a predisposition indicates a causal role for MH susceptibility (MHS) after EHS in certain national recommendations and has led to the use of an in vitro contracture test (IVCT) to identify the MHS trait in selected or unselected EHS patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether the MHS trait is associated with EHS.

Report of 182 cases of exertional heatstroke in the French Armed Forces.

Objectives: Exertional heatstroke (EHS) remains a major problem for the military. The aim of our study was to describe medical history and clinical and biological features of EHS in a large military cohort.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study among military subjects admitted to the Military Teaching Hospital Laveran for EHS from 2004 to 2006.

A woman with forearm amyotrophy.

We present the case of a 33-year-old woman with benign sporadic monomelic amyotrophy of the distal part of the arm, called Hirayama disease. Clinical features included forearm amyotrophy sparing the brachioradialis muscle, cold paresis and causalgia. Neck magnetic resonance imaging was normal in neutral and flexion position.