Myopathy Associated with Chronic Colchicine Toxicity

Abstract

TOXIC manifestations from the use of colchicine in the treatment or prevention of attacks of acute gouty arthritis, apart from the well known gastrointestinal effects of the drug, are rare. The administration of 2.3 to 4.0 mg. of colchicine daily for a few days to patients with inoperable malignant tumors produced gastrointestinal disturbances, depilation, bone-marrow depression and peripheral neuritis.¹ In 1 case the ingestion of 15 mg., for suicidal purposes,² caused neurologic manifestations similar to those observed in acute animal toxicity experiments.³ In the case presented below the repeated ingestion of toxic doses of colchicine was followed by the development . . .