Dysfunctional hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels in cardiac diseases

Abstract Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are reverse voltage-dependent, and their activation depends on the hyperpolarization of the membrane and may be directly or indirectly regulated by the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) or other signal-transduction cascades. The distribution, quantity and activation states of HCN channels differ in tissues throughout the body. Evidence exhibits that HCN channels play critical roles in the generation and conduction of the electrical impulse and the physiopathological process of some cardiac diseases. They may constitute promising drug targets in the treatment of these cardiac diseases. Pharmacological treatment targeting HCN channels is of benefit to these cardiac conditions.

Polineuropatia sensitiva induzida por talidomida e estudo eletrofisiológico do nervo sural como forma de screening diagnóstico: relato de caso / Thalidomide-induced sensory polyneuropathy and electrophysiological study of the sural nerve as a screening diagnosis: a case report

Polineuropatia é uma condição clínica freqüente com sintomatologia debilitante e o tratamento depende fundamentalmente da etiologia. Inúmeras são as causas possíveis deste tipo de distúrbio e o diagnóstico etiológico nem sempre é fácil. Neste relato de caso descrevemos um caso de um paciente com mieloma múltiplo que evoluiu com polineuropatia puramente sensitiva, comprovadapor estudo eletrofisiológico, induzida por talidomida.

Polyneuropathy is a common clinical condition with debilitating symptoms whose treatment dependson etiology. There are numerous possible causes of this type of disorder and the etiologicaldiagnosis is not always easy. In this case report we describe a case of a patient with multiple myeloma who developed purely sensory polyneuropathy, confirmed by electrophysiological study, induced by thalidomide.