Abstract
Objective: To present data from 60 consecutive patients treated for idiopathic transverse myelitis (TM) in our interprofessional TM clinic at UAB.
Background: TM is a rare neurologic condition that involves injury to the spinal cord with corresponding paresis, sensory, or autonomic impairment. Etiologies can include infectious, paraneoplastic, or demyelinating diseases, however, it is estimated that as many as 60% of TM cases will remain idiopathic. Due to the rare prevalence of this disease, a case study of patients with idiopathic TM may be beneficial to understand the demographics and pathophysiology of this syndrome.
Design/Methods: After obtaining IRB approval, 60 consecutive patients with idiopathic TM were enrolled in our database with informed consent. Data was obtained from the UAB electronic health record and an Excel database was used to compare factors such as age of diagnosis, time to gait nadir, ambulatory functions, and family history.
Results: Over 50% of our patients were over 50 years old at enrollment in the study with 20 males and 40 females; 20% of our cohort was African American and 80% Caucasian. Gait nadir was reached over several days in 47.5% of patients while 12.5% reached their nadir over several hours. CSF showed WBCs of 9 or less in 63.6% of patients with recorded data and 35.7% of patients had CSF protein >100; oligoclonal bands occurred in 12%. At their nadir, 28% were unable to ambulate, 49% ambulated with assistance, 23% required minimal assistance or were fully ambulatory. Twelve months or greater from the event, 2% were unable to ambulate, 36% were ambulating with assistance, and 61% required minimal assistance or were fully ambulatory.
Conclusions: More women were affected than men in our cohort and outcomes are likely more favorable than those reported in previously published literature as it relates to ambulatory status.
Disclosure: Dr. Sui has nothing to disclose. Dr. Seals has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pope has nothing to disclose. Dr. Meador has nothing to disclose.
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