18 February 1997

Dear Sir/Madam:

A clinical geneticist colleague, Dr. J. Allanson, has asked me to post the following message:

Has anyone seen a family with an apparently dominant transmission of leg pain? The pain occurs daily (max) to weekly (min); it begins in infancy or childhood and will tend to improve/disappear in the early thirties; it is a "bruise-like, intense, dull pain affecting hips and ankles; it lasts 30 to 45 minutes; it is exacerbated by cold, and improved by heat, activity, massage, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; it may occur at any time of day, but is most common in the evening, and may wake the affected individual from sleep; when hands are involved, they become red, sweaty and "hard" during an episode; there may be associated nausea, sweating and tachycardia, but probably no fever. The family is of French-Canadian background.

Anyone with similar families can respond directly to Dr. J. Allanson: ALLANSON@cheo.on.ca

Thank-you.

Marsha Speevak, PhD Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Ottawa, Canada mdspeevak@cyberus.ca