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An 83-year-old lady with type 2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to hospital with pneumonia. After 3 days of oral amoxicillin she developed ballism-choreiform movements of all four limbs. Her serum glucose and osmolality were raised. She had no factors suggestive of genetic or iatrogenic causes. A CT scan of the brain revealed bilateral putamen hyperintensities. She was started on tetrabenazine and subcutaneous insulin, which led to complete resolution of her symptoms.

We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who presented with an inflammatory flare of osteoarthritis of the small joints of her hands occurring in a temporal relationship with the commencement of Arimidex, prescribed to reduce systemic oestrogen levels to treat breast cancer. Following the cessation of Arimidex and the initiation of tamoxifen, a specific oestrogen receptor antagonist, this flare resolved. It has long been observed that during the menopause, as oestrogen levels decline, many women develop osteoarthritis or experience progression of the disease. However, this theory of oestrogen-dependent osteoarthritis has not been consistently demonstrated in animal models. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first case in which systemic oestrogen reduction has resulted in a severe osteoarthritis flare but targeted oestrogen receptor blockade led to a resolution of symptoms. These findings may inform the pathophysiological process underlying oestrogen-dependent osteoarthritis, although further series are needed.

A 75-year-old man, undergoing treatment for metastatic prostate cancer with a novel cancer cell vaccine, presented with a 4 week history of poor balance, gait disturbance and cognitive decline. Blood tests including HIV and onconeuronal and voltage gated potassium channel antibodies were normal. Computed tomography and two magnetic resonance images of the brain showed possible non-specific meningeal or vascular enhancement. Two cerebrospinal fluid analyses, including cytology, were negative, other than six lymphocytes in the former. Despite intravenous aciclovir and dexamethasone the patient deteriorated over 16 days, with worsening confusion and involuntary movements, and died. Postmortem examination showed that the leptomeninges overlying the brain and spinal cord were diffusely infiltrated by a melanocytosis with a focal area of melanomatosis. Moreover, there were two sites of metastases of a highly malignant clone present in the pulmonary parenchyma. Trial registration number: NCT00133224