Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 176
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF, introducing the Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 176
Question 1
Piperazine was first introduced as an anti parasitic drug in 1953 but it has a side affect. What is ‘worm wobble’?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Cerebral Ataxia
The neurotoxic effects are usually seen after the initial doses, and resolution of symptoms is rapid and complete within 24–48 hours of discontinuing treatment.
Although the exact mechanism of piperazine neurotoxicity is not understood, various theories have been put forward to explain its widespread neurotoxic effects. These include post-synaptic neuromuscular blockade, a lowering of the pH with ionic shifts across the cell membrane, and an idiopathic demyelinating process (probably a hypersensitivity reaction predisposed to by the presence of the parasite, and the most popular theory)
- Shroff R, Houston B. Unusual cerebellar ataxia: “worm wobble” revisited. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2002;87:333-334.
Question 2
What do snakes and people with ‘Rapunzel Syndrome’ have in common?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
They can’t digest hair
Due to a lack of keratinise in their digestive system (although I am unaware of any mammal that can digest hair)
To my knowledge the largest hair bezoar removed was from a woman in Chicago in 2007 weighing 10lb.
Question 3
Which country has the first ‘Hello Kitty’ themed maternity hospital?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Question 4
What might be late in Kallmann’s and early in Albright’s?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Puberty
Question 5
The bulb of meadow saffron yields which chemotherapeutic agent?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Colchicine.
The correct name for the plan is Colchicum autumnale.
FFFF
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five
Dr Neil Long BMBS FACEM FRCEM FRCPC. Emergency Physician at Kelowna hospital, British Columbia. Loves the misery of alpine climbing and working in austere environments (namely tertiary trauma centres). Supporter of FOAMed, lifelong education and trying to find that elusive peak performance.