[Myelopathy: clinical considerations and etiological aspects].
We studied 97 inpatients with myelopathy at the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley from 1985 to 2002. Ages ranged from 10 to 78 years and average age was 39.8 years. All patients were examined by neurologist. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was analysed in 44 (45.3%) cases and immunofluorescence reactions and/or ELISA in CSF were made in 32 (32.9%) cases. Radiologic investigation of the vertebral spine and spinal cord of the 32 (32.9%) cases consisted of 8 radiographies, 10 computed tomography and 14 magnetic resonance image. In 41 (42.2%) cases the lesions were situated in the lower dorsal and lumbar level and complete transverse lesion were registred in 61 (62.8%) cases. There was predominance of transverse myelitis (43.2%) and spinal cord compression (15.46%). Spinal cord schistosomiasis was the form more often of the transverse myelitis (13.4%).
Serviço de Neurologia, Hospital Universitário Lauro Wanderley, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil.
José Correia de Farias
JC
Brito
Paulo Virgolino
PV
da Nóbrega
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D020818:Neuroschistosomiasis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed