title: Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's syndrome) and pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: Neuromyelitis optica and acute necrotic myelopathy occur in association with pulmonary tuberculosis. We studied 8 patients with either neuromyelitis optica (6), acute myelopathy (1), or acute optic neuropathy (1) in close temporal association with pulmonary tuberculosis, but with no evidence for CNS tuberculosis. Neurologic symptoms preceded the use of antituberculosis medication in 5 patients. Different patients showed similar clinical features, suggesting a consistent disease pattern. Autopsy examination (1 patient) revealed extensive spinal cord and optic nerve demyelination. We identified only 5 additional patients seen over the same period with idiopathic neuromyelitis optica, thus suggesting that the close temporal relationship to pulmonary tuberculosis is not coincidental. The syndrome is most likely due to an immune reaction to tuberculosis rather than the use of antituberculosis medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Silber
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Willcox
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000150:complications*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications*