title: Schistosomal myelopathy: urologic manifestations and urodynamic findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical and urodynamic features of patients with voiding dysfunction secondary to schistosomal myelopathy. Schistosomiasis mansoni is an endemic fluke infection in South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. In the United States and Europe, people may be infected mainly through travel to endemic areas and immigration of infected individuals. Clinical involvement of the spinal cord is a well-recognized complication of the disease. The typical manifestations are those of an acute transverse myelitis, with sudden onset of lower extremity neuropathy associated with bladder and bowel dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the records and urodynamic studies of 14 consecutive patients (10 men and 4 women, age range 23 to 49 years) with schistosomal myelopathy confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid serology for S. mansoni, who were referred for evaluation of voiding dysfunction during a 2-year period. At the time of the urologic evaluation, 9 patients had chronic neurologic and urinary symptoms and 5 had recent onset of acute symptoms. The voiding function history, urologic complications, and outcomes after therapy for schistosomiasis were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients with acute disease (5 patients), the urologic symptoms included urinary retention (3 patients) and incontinence (2 patients). Three of them had concurrent lower back pain and lower limb neurologic deficits. Urodynamic studies were performed in 3 patients and revealed bladder areflexia in 2 patients and detrusor hyperreflexia with external sphincter dyssynergia in 1 patient. The patients were started on clean intermittent catheterization and received praziquantel and corticosteroids. Three patients had complete resolution of their symptoms, one recovered normal voiding function but the neurologic deficits persisted, and one had no clinical improvement. All patients with chronic schistosomal myelopathy presented with lower limb neurologic deficits of varying degrees and urinary symptoms, including difficulty emptying the bladder (7 patients), urinary incontinence (6 patients), and urgency and frequency (2 patients). Laboratory and radiographic evaluation of patients with chronic disease revealed urinary tract infection in 5 patients, hydronephrosis in 2 patients, and bladder calculi in 2 patients. Urologic management consisted of antibiotics, clean intermittent catheterization, anticholinergic medication, and stone removal, as appropriate. In 1 patient, conservative treatment failed and that patient required ileocystoplasty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schistosomal myelopathy is a potential cause of severe voiding dysfunction secondary to spinal cord disease. A high index of suspicion is paramount because early medical intervention can abort the progression of neurologic deterioration.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiano M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trigo-Rocha
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Arap
authors.forename: Armando Jose
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alaor de Figueiredo
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arap
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel