Woltman’s Sign of Hypothyroidism or just Woltman’s Sign as it is seen in conditions other than hypothyroidism is a delayed recovery of the ankle reflex. The reflex typically returns to normal after thyroxine levels are restored following therapy.
The sign is named after the neurologist Henry Woltman (1889 – 1964). He was the first neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. It was first called “Woltman’s sign of myxedema” in 1956.
The mechanism of this hyporeflexia in hypothyroidism is assumed to be due lower levels of myosin ATPase that slows muscle contraction and a slowing of the calcium re-accumulation in the sarcoplasmic endoplasmic reticulum.
This delayed recovery following the ankle jerks are generally seen in hypothyroidism; anorexia nervosa; older age; pregnancy; drugs (eg beta-blockers); hypothermia; sarcoidosis.
Related Topics:
Hypothyroidism | Reflexes (assessment) | Reflexes (clinical signs) | Reflexes (physiology)
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