HTLV-I associated myelopathy: clinical and epidemiological profile.
The prevalence of HTLV-I reaches 1.8% among blood donors in Salvador, and 40% among chronic myelopathy patients in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The present study shows the epidemiological and clinical picture of patients attending the HAM/TSP Outpatient Unit at the Foundation of Neurology and Neorusurgery (FNN). 114 patients had epidemiologic data collected and 51 of these patients, who had regularly attended the HAM/TSP Unit for at least 1 year, were evaluated for signs, symptoms and disease progression. Most of the 114 patients were female (70%), of African descent, and with a mean age of 51. Sexually transmitted diseases and blood transfusion were the most common risk factors. Paraparesis with spasticity was the predominant sign (85%), bladder dysfunction occurred in 75%, intestinal dysfunction was recorded in 48%. Sensory examination was normal in 50% of the cases studied. The patients' functional status, as measured by the Kurtzke Disability Scale, during the 1 year observation period changed only in early disease. Steroid therapy with prednisone was the most commonly used treatment in this group.
Figueirôa
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FL
Institute, Bahia Medical and Public Health School, University Hospital Prof. Edgard Santos - Laboratory of Retrovirus - Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Andrade Filho
A S
AS
Crvalho
E S
ES
Brites
C
C
Badaró
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies