Prognostic predictors of acute transverse myelitis

Non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of the spinal neurovascular response in a patient with transverse myelitis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Transverse myelitis (TM) is characterized by acute development of motor, sensory and autonomic dysfunctions due to horizontally diffused inflammation in one or more segments of the spinal cord in the absence of a compressive lesion. The not well-known inflammation process induces demyelination resulting in neurological dysfunction.

CASE PRESENTATION

In this case report we used a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique to evaluate changes in the peri-spinal vascular response induced by a peripheral median nerve electrical stimulation in a patient with chronic transverse myelitis (TM). fNIRS showed drastically reduced signal amplitude in the peri-spinal vascular response, compared to that obtained from a healthy control group throughout most of the C7-T1 and T10-L2 spinal cord segments.

CONCLUSION

The potential use of this relatively non-invasive fNIRS technology support the potential clinical application of this method for functional test of the spinal cord through the assessment of the spinal neurovascular response.

Acute cerebellitis, transverse myelitis and polyradiculoneuritis related to post-COVID-19 infection

CONTEXT

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), acute cerebellitis and transverse myelitis are rare complications of COVID-19 infection separately. The combination of these three, however, has not yet been reported.

FINDINGS

We present an atypical case (42-year-old man) that developed acute ascending flaccid paraparesis, ataxia and urinary retention two weeks after COVID-19 infection. Neurological examination revealed distal and proximal weakness (4/5) on lower extremities, decreased tendon reflexes, sixth cranial nerve palsy and dysmetria without sensory disturbance. His cranial MRI showed cerebellitis whereas the spinal MRI showed transverse myelitis at the T11/12 level. Albuminocytologic dissociation was present in the cerebrospinal fluid. The nerve conduction study was concordant with early findings of GBS. He recovered well after corticosteroid treatment without needing any immunotherapy. On day seven of hospitalization, the modified Rankin Scale score was 0.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 infection may present with a combination of neurological manifestations such as cerebellitis, transverse myelitis and GBS. This patient presented significant functional recovery after treatment with corticosteroid without immunotherapy.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases as a Diagnostic Challenge for Radiologists: Report of Two Cases and Literature Review

The magnetic resonance characteristics of autoimmune demyelinating diseases are complex and represent a challenge for the radiologist. In this study we presented two different cases of detected autoimmune demyelinating diseases: one case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and one case of neuromyelitis optica, respectively. Expected and unexpected findings of magnetic resonance imaging examination for autoimmune demyelinating diseases were reported in order to provide a valuable approach for diagnosis. In particular, we highlight, review and discuss the presence of several uncommon imaging findings which could lead to a misinterpretation. The integration of magnetic resonance imaging findings with clinical and laboratory data is necessary to provide a valuable diagnosis.

Myelopathy in West Nile virus encephalitis: Report of a case and review of literature

Context: In West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis, polio-like illness has been reported but there is no report on acute transverse myelopathy. Design, Setting and Participants: We report a patient with WNV myelopathy admitted in a tertiary care teaching hospital, India along with review of the literature. Findings: A 34 year-old lady presented with fever, headache, diarrhea, seizure, bulbar weakness and quadriplegia for 20 days. Her encephalopathy, bulbar and upper limb weakness improved within few days but flaccid areflexic paraplegia persisted till 6 months with a horizontal sensory level at D3. Electromyography was suggestive of anterior horn cell involvement and somatosensory evoked potential was unrecordable. MRI revealed middle cerebellar peduncle, pons and whole of spinal cord involvement. We could get 11 articles with spinal cord involvement in WNV infection in the medical literature through PubMed search. Their clinical, MRI and electro-diagnostic findings and outcome have been discussed. Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: Acute transverse myelitis may occur in WNV encephalitis and EMG may be helpful in confirming anterior horn cell involvement and predicting outcome.

Acupuncture for Back Pain, Knee Pain and Insomnia in Transverse Myelitis – a Case Report

This case report describes the use of acupuncture for back pain, knee pain and insomnia in a 49 year old woman with a recent diagnosis of transverse myelitis with paraplegia, sensory disturbance, and bladder and bowel dysfunction. She was receiving intensive in-patient multi-disciplinary rehabilitation but was struggling to participate fully due to pain and poor sleep quality. She received a course of acupuncture in addition to standard care and reported substantial benefits including reduction in pain, improved sleep and mood, and reduction in daytime fatigue. Effective symptom control allowed this patient to participate more fully in her rehabilitation programme. Reduction of knee pain and sleep disturbance was maintained until discharge, 15 weeks after the last acupuncture treatment. This case report suggests that acupuncture may be an option to consider for other patients with pain or sleep disturbance that is interfering with their rehabilitation programme.

Unusual case of acute urinary retention in a young female

We report an unusual case of a 17-year-old young female presenting to the emergency department with varicella infection, acute urinary retention (AUR) and no other neurological deficits. An MRI of the spine confirmed the diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis. Positive serum IgG antibodies against varicella zoster virus (VZV) suggested a parainfectious aetiology. The patient eventually developed weakness and a sensory level from the third thoracic dermatome on day 2 of hospitalisation. Awareness that AUR can precede other neurological deficits in VZV transverse myelitis will prevent misdiagnosis and allow for the prompt treatment of this debilitating illness.

Predictors of outcome in a large retrospective cohort of patients with transverse myelitis

BACKGROUND

Transverse myelitis (TM) is an inflammatory disorder that can be idiopathic or associated with central nervous system autoimmune/dysimmune inflammatory diseases, connective tissue autoimmune diseases, or post-infectious neurological syndromes. Prognosis of initial TM presentations is uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To identify outcome predictors in TM.

METHODS

Retrospective study on isolated TM at onset. Scores ⩾3 on the modified Rankin scale (mRS) marked high disability.

RESULTS

A total of 159 patients were identified. TM was classified as follows: idiopathic (I-TM, n = 53), post-infectious (PI-TM, n = 48), associated with multiple sclerosis (MS-TM, n = 51), or neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders/connective tissue autoimmune diseases/neurosarcoidosis ( n = 7). At follow-up (median, 55 months; interquartile range, 32-80), 42 patients were severely disabled, and patients with I-TM or PI-TM showed the worst outcomes. Predictors of disability were infectious antecedents, sphincter and pyramidal symptoms, high mRS scores, blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier damage, lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions on univariate analysis, and older age (odds ratio (OR), 1.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-1.1), overt/subclinical involvement of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) (OR, 9.4; 95% CI, 2.2-41.0), complete TM (OR, 10.8; 95% CI, 3.4-34.5) on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings help define prognosis and therapies in TM at onset. Infectious antecedents and PNS involvement associate with severe prognosis. Nerve conduction studies and lumbar MRI could improve the prognostic assessment of this condition.

Relationship Between Motor Evoked Potential Response and the Severity of Paralysis in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Objective

To investigate the relationship between motor evoked potential (MEP) response and the severity of motor paralysis, evaluated according to the Korean disability evaluation system in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

We analyzed 192 lower limbs of 96 SCI patients. Lower limbs were classified according to their motor scores, as determined by the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury: motor score <10 (group 1); ≥10 and <15 (group 2); ≥15 and <20 (group 3); and ≥20 (group 4). MEP responses were classified as ‘normal’, ‘delayed’ or ‘absent’, based on their onset latency, which was compared between the different motor score groups.

Results

MEP responses and limb motor scores were highly correlated (p<0.001). There was a significant difference of MEP responses between the motor score groups (p<0.001). MEP response was markedly poorer in motor group 1 (limb motor score <10) than in the other three groups (p<0.0001). However, there were no differences between the three groups with motor scores of 10 or above.

Conclusion

Clinical utility of MEP as a complimentary tool to manual muscle tests could be limited to discriminating motor score groups with severe paralysis, i.e., single lower limb motor power grades of 0 or 1, and from grade 2, 3, and 4, or above, in the Korean disability evaluation system.

Infektionen

In diesem Kapitel werden zunächst die für die Neurointensivmedizin wesentlichen bakteriellen Infektionen (Meningitis, spinale und Hirnabszesse, Spondylodiszitis, septisch-embolische Herdenzephalitis) abgehandelt, die trotz gezielt eingesetzter Antibiotika und neurochirurgischer Therapieoptionen noch mit einer erheblichen Morbidität und Mortalität behaftet sind. Besonderheiten wie neurovaskuläre Komplikationen, die Tuberkulose des Nervensystems, Neuroborreliose, Neurosyphilis und opportunistische Infektionen bei Immunsuppressionszuständen finden hierbei besondere Berücksichtigung. Der zweite Teil dieses Kapitels behandelt akute und chronische Virusinfektionen des ZNS sowie in einem gesonderten Abschnitt die HIVInfektion und HIV-assoziierte Krankheitsbilder sowie Parasitosen und Pilzinfektionen, die in Industrieländern seit Einführung der HAART bei HIV zwar eher seltener, aber mit zunehmender Globalisierung auch in unseren Breiten immer noch anzutreffen sind.

Partial acute transverse myelitis is a predictor of multiple sclerosis in children

Background:

Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) in children is a rare and often severe disease for which there are few known prognostic factors, particularly the subsequent risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.

Objectives:

To determine the clinical course and prognostic factors after a first episode of ATM in children.

Methods:

Thirty children below 16 years of age diagnosed with a first neurological episode of ATM were included retrospectively. Clinical evaluation, treatment, laboratory, and MRI data were collected.

Results:

Median age at onset was 11 years (range 3–15 years). Follow-up data were available for a median of 4 years (range 0.5–16.7 years). Five patients subsequently had a diagnosis of MS (17%), which was associated with acute partial transverse myelitis (odds ratio 5; 95% confidence interval 2.3–11), with a 60% probability of having a relapse at five years ( p < 0.01). The 2011 Verhey criteria correctly identified MS in children with the highest specificity (96%) and sensitivity (80%).

Conclusion:

Acute partial transverse myelitis and brain MRI abnormalities at initial presentation are significantly predictive of a subsequent diagnosis of MS in children with ATM. These findings suggest that closer brain MRI monitoring after acute partial transverse myelitis might make the earlier introduction of disease-modifying therapies possible.

Idiopathic transverse myelitis and neuromyelitis optica: clinical profiles, pathophysiology and therapeutic choices

Transverse myelitis is a focal inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord which may arise due to different etiologies. Transverse myelitis may be idiopathic or related/secondary to other diseases including infections, connective tissue disorders and other autoimmune diseases. It may be also associated with optic neuritis (neuromyelitis optica), which may precede transverse myelitis. In this manuscript we review the pathophysiology of different types of transverse myelitis and neuromyelitis optica and discuss diagnostic criteria for idiopathic transverse myelitis and risk of development of multiple sclerosis after an episode of transverse myelitis. We also discuss treatment options including corticosteroids, immunosuppressives and monoclonal antibodies, plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulins.

Infektionen

Trotz Weiterentwicklung moderner Antibiotika in den letzten Jahren sind die Letalitätszahlen der bakteriellen (eitrigen) Meningitis weiterhin hoch; Überlebende haben häufig neurologische Residuen. Die ungünstigen klinischen Verläufe der bakteriellen Meningitis sind meist Folge intrakranieller Komplikationen, wie z. B. eines generalisierten Hirnödems, einer zerebrovaskulären arteriellen oder venösen Beteiligung oder eines Hydrozephalus.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis: clinical and pathogenesis features

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). Disease typically starts with an abrupt onset of neurologic symptoms and signs within days to weeks after a viral infection or immunization. Neuropathological examination of the CNS in ADEM reveals involvement of white matter, with infiltration of monocytoid cells and perivenous demyelination.

Acute myelopathy. Retrospective clinical, laboratory, MRI and outcome analysis of 49 cases

Forty nine consecutive cases of acute myelopathy were related to the following pathologies: 31 MS, four spinal cord infarction, four parainfectious, one antiphospolipid syndrome and nine of unknown origin. Sensory deficits were most frequent in MS and in myelopathy of unknown origin. In spinal cord infarction motor deficits and sphincter dysfunction were present in all cases. In parainfectious myelopathy sensory-motor deficits and sphincter dysfunction were most frequent. Myelopathy extended over less than two vertebral segments in MS and in myelopathy of unknown origin. Myelopathy extended over more than two vertebral segments in spinal cord infarction and in parainfectious myelopathy. The clinical outcome was good in MS, parainfectious myelopathy and myelopathy of unknown origin, but poor in spinal cord infarction. Our findings suggest that various aetiologies of acute myelopathy may be differentiated on the basis of distinct clinical, MRI, laboratory and outcome data.

Medical management of Pott disease in the thoracic and lumbar spine: a prospective clinical study

OBJECT

The aim of this study was to evaluate conservative medical management of 44 patients with Pott disease. The prognostic significance of various clinical, radiological, and long-term follow-up findings in these patients was also evaluated.

METHODS

Between January 1990 and January 2005 data were collected prospectively at the authors' clinic in 44 patients with Pott disease in the thoracic or lumbar spine. These patients had no major neurological deficits or severe spinal deformities. The study population consisted of 21 male (48%) and 23 female (52%) patients, with a mean age of 42.1 years (range 10-70 years). The most common region of Pott disease was the thoracolumbar junction (18 cases; 41%), followed by the thoracic (16 cases; 36%) and lumbar (10 cases; 23%) regions. All patients presented with abscesses. With the exception of two cases, all had kyphotic angles smaller than 30 degrees. At presentation, 20 patients had neurological signs of spinal cord compression during clinical examination. Both clinical and biopsy findings were used in all cases for diagnosis. A diagnosis was confirmed by a positive biopsy specimen culture in 19 (43.2%) of 44 cases, and histopathological findings were compatible with the results of these cultures in all cases. All patients were treated with antituberculous chemotherapy, and the diseases in only two (4.5%) was resistant to the regimen. An independent observer assessed the clinical and imaging findings after a mean follow-up duration of 40 months. Forty-two (95.4%) of the 44 patients were successfully treated with conservative medical management and attained acceptable spinal deformity angles, and none of these patients had any residual instability, radiculopathy, or neurological compromise. Only 4.5% of the patients experienced residual spine deformity (as much as a 30 degrees kyphotic angle), which was clinically obvious but biomechanically stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with Pott disease in the lumbar or thoracic region, without neurological deficits or kyphosis, can be treated conservatively in the vast majority of cases. Indications for surgery need to be redefined given these new data.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated myelitis: a comprehensive review

Myelitis is one of the most severe central nervous system complications seen in association with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections and both acute transverse myelitis (ATM) as well as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) have been observed. We reviewed all available literature on cases of Mycoplasma spp. associated ATM as well as ADEM with dominant spinal cord pathology and classified those cases according to the strength of evidence implicating M. pneumoniae as the cause. A wide range of data on diagnosis, epidemiology, immunopathogenesis, clinical picture, laboratory diagnosis, neuroimaging and treatment for this rare entity is presented. The use of highly sensitive and specific molecular diagnostic techniques may assist in clearly elucidating the role of M. pneumoniae in ATM/ADEM syndromes in the near future. Immunomodulating therapies may have a role in treating such cases.

Neuromyelitis optica IgG predicts relapse after longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether neuromyelitis optica (NMO) IgG seropositivity at the initial presentation of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) predicts relapse of myelitis or development of optic neuritis.

METHODS

Prospective study of patients with initial LETM who were tested for the presence of NMO-IgG.

RESULTS

Eleven of 29 patients (37.9%) were seropositive after a first attack of LETM spanning three or more vertebral segments on magnetic resonance imaging. Of 23 patients followed up for 1 year, none of 14 who were seronegative experienced a relapse or developed optic neuritis. Of 9 seropositive patients, 5 developed a second event: 4 of 9 (44%) developed recurrent transverse myelitis and 1 of 9 (11%) developed optic neuritis (p = 0.004).

INTERPRETATION

LETM represents an inaugural or limited form of NMO in a high proportion of patients. The 40% of patients who are seropositive for NMO-IgG are at high risk for relapse.

[Infectious myelopathies: clinical, serological, and prognostic patterns]

INTRODUCTION

Serological confirmation of an infectious acute myelitis injury is difficult to confirm as it is sometimes due to a post-infectious etiology.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to define the clinical, biological and prognostic patterns of infectious myelitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 153 subjects hospitalized in the department of neurology between 1993 and 2002 for treatment of a noncompressive acute myelopathy. Biological confirmation of recent infection was obtained in 12 patients (8 p. 100).

RESULTS

An infectious syndrome, beginning prior to the neurological symptoms, was found in 67 percent of patients. The clinical symptoms were severe with loss of sensoromotor and sphincter functions and ascending spinal cord dysfunction (acute transverse myelopathy). Spinal cord MRI showed extended centromedullar high intensity signals with rapid and complete regression. CSF analysis cell count was above 30/mm3 with hyperproteinorachia, in 75 percent and 58 percent of patients respectively. CSF electrophoresis did not detect oligoclonal bands. Clinical outcome was good in all patients except one, however sphincter disorders recovered slowly.

DISCUSSION

Our study illustrates a stereotypical clinical, biological and prognostic pattern for infectious acute myelitis. These findings contribute significantly to therapeutic decision making and establishing prognosis at the initial phase of acute myelopathy.

Discriminatory features of acute transverse myelitis: a retrospective analysis of 45 patients

Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a pathogenetically heterogeneous inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord. Therefore, the identification of clinical and paraclinical features providing clues of the underlying etiologies is needed. The clinical presentation, blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurophysiological features were retrospectively analyzed in 45 unselected consecutive patients with ATM. Parainfectious ATM was diagnosed in 38% of patients. The underlying infectious agent, however, was identified only in a minority of patients. In 36% of patients, the etiology remained uncertain ("idiopathic" ATM) and in 22% ATM was the first manifestation of possible multiple sclerosis (ATM-MS) according to recently published diagnostic criteria. Spinal cord MRI showed signal alterations in 96% of the patients. In ATM-MS, monosegmental involvement of the spinal cord was most frequent while spinal cord involvement of two or more segments was more common in ATM of other etiologies. Of particular note, neurophysiological examinations showed evidence of peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement in 27% of patients with ATM but not in patients with ATM-MS. Therefore, neurophysiological evidence of PNS involvement may provide additional discriminatory features between ATM-MS and ATM of other etiologies.

Acute transverse myelitis in children: clinical course and prognostic factors

The objective of this study was to describe the clinical course of acute transverse myelitis in children, to identify prognostic factors, and to compare our findings with published data Twenty-four children, aged 2 to 14 years and admitted with a diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis, were studied. Clinical features and results of investigations were collected at admission and during the course of the disease. Motor, sphincter, and global outcomes were compared with those in the main adult and pediatric series. During the initial phase, the most common presenting symptoms were pain (88%) and fever (58%). Motor loss preceded sphincter dysfunction in two thirds of patients and became bilateral in half of the patients. When maximal deficit was achieved (plateau), the patients presented a combination of sensory, motor, and sphincter dysfunctions without radicular involvement The motor loss consistently involved the lower limbs but was inconsistent and moderate in the upper limbs. The mean duration of the plateau was 1 week. The recovery phase was characterized by a progressive improvement of all deficits. Sphincter dysfunction improved more slowly than did the other deficits. A full recovery was achieved by 31% of the patients; minimal sequelae were present in 25% and mild to severe sequelae in 44%. An unfavorable outcome was associated with complete paraplegia (P = .03) and/or a time to maximal deficit shorter than 24 hours (P = .005). A favorable outcome was associated with a plateau shorter than 8 days (P = .03), the presence of supraspinal symptoms (P = .01), and a time to independent walking shorter than 1 month (P = .01). The course of acute transverse myelitis in children proceeds through three stages, an initial phase, a plateau, and a recovery phase, each characterized by specific clinical features. The global outcome was favorable in 56% of patients. Several prognostic factors were identified.

Elevated 14-3-3 protein and axonal loss in immunoglobulin-responsive, idiopathic acute transverse myelitis

OBJECTIVES

To report the elevation of the 14-3-3 protein and the complete denervation of hand muscles in idiopathic acute transverse myelitis (IATM) of the cervical cord.

CASE DESCRIPTION

In a 29-year-old woman with a 2-week history of neck pain and repeated attenuated flus, subacute quadriplegia, hypaesthesia of both arms, a T3 sensory level, and urinary dysfunction occurred. Based upon the clinical findings, the cervical MRIs, and an elevated 14-3-3 protein in the CSF, IATM C4-C7 was diagnosed. Ten, 17, 28 and 61 days after onset, nerve conduction studies revealed complete denervation of the right abductor pollicis brevis and abductor digiti minimi muscles but gradual improvement of the compound muscle action potential of the left abductor pollicis brevis muscle. F-waves of the right median nerve were absent. Tibial somatosensory evoked potentials showed a prolonged central conduction time. Transcranial magnetic stimulation evoked a response in the left but not the right abductor digiti minimi muscle.

CONCLUSION

IATM may cause elevation of the 14-3-3 protein and loss of motor axons originating from affected anterior horn cells.

Changes in motor cortex activation after recovery from spinal cord inflammation

Diseases of the spinal cord are associated with reactive changes in cerebral cortex organization. Many studies in this area have examined spinal cord conditions not associated with recovery, making it difficult to consider the value of these cortical events in the restoration of neurological function. We studied patients with myelitis, a syndrome of transient spinal cord inflammation, in order to probe cortical changes that might contribute to recovery after disease of the spinal cord. Seven patients, each of whom showed improvement in hand motor function after a diagnosis of myelitis involving cervical spinal cord, were clinically evaluated then studied with functional MRI. During right and left index finger tapping, activation volumes were assessed in three cortical motor regions within each hemisphere. Results were compared with findings in nine control subjects. Compared to the control group, myelitis patients had larger activation volumes within contralateral sensorimotor as well as contralateral premotor cortex. The degree of daily hand use showed a significant correlation with the volume of activation in contralateral sensorimotor cortex. Recovery from myelitis is associated with an enlarged activation volume in contralateral motor cortices. This change in motor cortex function is related to behavioral experience, and thus may contribute to motor improvement. The expanded activation in motor cortex, seen with several forms of spinal cord insult may have maximal utility when corticospinal tract axons are preserved.