Longitudinal myelitis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a paediatric case

• Published in: Rheumatology international Vol. 32; no. 8; pp. 2587 - 2588
• Main Authors: Campana, Andrea, Buonuomo, Paola Sabrina, Insalaco, Antonella, Bracaglia, Claudia, Capua, Matteo Di, Cortis, Elisabetta, Ugazio, Alberto G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-08-2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Child; Female; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Letter to the Editors; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - complications; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - diagnosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Myelitis, Transverse - diagnosis; Myelitis, Transverse - drug therapy; Myelitis, Transverse - etiology; Myelitis, Transverse - physiopathology; Paraplegia - etiology; Paresthesia - etiology; Rheumatology; Spinal Cord - physiopathology; Treatment Outcome; Acute transverse myelitis (ATM); Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• ISSN: 0172-8172; 1437-160X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00296-011-2061-1

Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a very rare manifestation of the central nervous system in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), especially in case of involvement of continuous segments (longitudinal myelitis). We describe a 12-year-old female with lupus correlated with transverse myelitis with a longitudinal involvement of the spinal cord (D2 to D10) at the onset of the disease. Despite the administration of an early aggressive therapy, the outcome proved to be unfavourable. After 2 years of follow-up, the child still complains of paraplegia, sphincter incontinency and ipo-paresthesias of both legs.