title: Idiopathic acute myelopathy.
abstract: The clinical spectrum of acute intrinsic spinal cord disease remains uncertain because of varying criteria used in different studies. The characteristics of 17 patients with idiopathic acute myelopathy drawn from a larger group of 34 with acute intrinsic myelopathies of varying aetiology are reported. Results, which differ from previous studies, include the finding of a high proportion of patients with evidence of predominantly unilateral cord disease (47%). A higher percentage of patients (24%) than previously reported later developed multiple sclerosis, possibly related to broader inclusion criteria. A rise in protein concentration of the cerebrospinal fluid on repeat lumbar puncture was observed in patients with spinal shock on presentation, and a poor outcome was most clearly associated with these cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Silber
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology*