Peripheral neuropathy associated with simvastatin.

Four patients are described who developed sensorimotor neuropathy while being treated with simvastatin and had complete or partial resolution of clinical abnormalities after withdrawal of treatment. In one case onset was within days of commencing treatment, but in two cases symptoms did not develop for two years. The electrophysiological and pathological features of the neuropathy were those of axonal degeneration.

Effects of hyperkalaemia on the excitability of peripheral nerve.

An experimental animal model has been developed for the study of excitability change in peripheral nerve during limb ischaemia. This model has been used to investigate the effects of hyperkalaemia on the sequence of excitability change that occurs during cuff-induced limb ischaemia and in the post-ischaemic recovery period. The results lend support to the hypothesis that the dynamics of K ion concentration in the periaxonal space play a critical role in determining these excitability changes and that the polyanionic mucopolysaccharide gap substance of the node of Ranvier is likely to constitute the diffusion barrier that defines the periaxonal space.

Peripheral nerve function in chronic liver disease.

Peripheral nerve function has been studied in 50 patients with chronic liver disease. An increase in the latency or a reduction in the response amplitude of the evoked sensory potential of the median nerve was detected in 34 of the 50 subjects. This was in striking contrast to the paucity of neurological signs and symptoms suggestive of peripheral nerve damage seen in these patients.