title: Multiple sclerosis following splenectomy as a treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: A 27-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with tetraparesis, dysesthesia and hypoesthesia of all regions below the breasts, urinary disturbance, and difficulty in breathing. Since age 21 idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was diagnosed and steroid therapy was continued. At age 26, she had splenectomy for her ITP. On admission, steroid pulse therapy was administered with a tentative diagnosis of transverse myelitis. Symptoms gradually ameliorated. At age 29, she gradually lost her left vision, and multiple sclerosis was diagnosed and steroid therapy was administered, and her left vision gradually ameliorated. There are several reports describing other autoimmune disorders that arise after splenectomy. Since the spleen acts as a major pool of type 2 helper T cells, it is plausible that peripheral type 1 helper T cell activity may increase after splenectomy, promoting the development of autoimmune disorders. We considered there would be a close relation between splenectomy for ITP and multiple sclerosis in this case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sumitomo Hospital, Osaka.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Fukashi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Udaka
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Tamotsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubori
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishinaka
authors.forename: Masakuni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kameyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000601:surgery*; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects