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.
Institute, Bahia Medical and Public Health School, University Hospital Prof. Edgard Santos - Laboratory of Retrovirus - Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
F L
FL
Figueirôa
A S
AS
Andrade Filho
E S
ES
Crvalho
C
C
Brites
R
R
Badaró
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