title: [Contribution of visual evoked potentials to the diagnosis of isolated progressive paraparesis in the adult].
abstract: Pattern reversal VEPs were recorded in 30 adult patients with progressive spastic paraparesis. Abnormal responses were observed in 17 patients (57 per cent) without any clinical evidence of visual impairment. Abnormal VEPs helped to the diagnostic reclassification of these patients by demonstrating the multifocality of the lesions. When the number of lymphocytes and/or the lgG level were abnormal in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormal VEPs conforted the diagnosis of multiples sclerosis (MS) in 12 cases out of 20. In five patients out of the ten whose CSF was normal MS was considered as highly probable because of VEPs abnormalities.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
vernacular_title: Apport des potentiels évoqués visuels au diagnostic des paraparésies progressives isolées de l'adulte.