title: Relapsing acute transverse myelitis: a specific entity.
abstract: Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) not related to systemic disease may present in a relapsing manner. Data in the literature about this condition are scarce. We describe three patients suffering from relapsing myelitis in whom no association with systemic disease, i.e. infectious or connective tissue disease was found. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were also distinctly different from multiple sclerosis and consistent with a necrotizing type of inflammation. Despite various treatment strategies, all patients became severely disabled. Relapsing ATM not related to systemic disease appears to be a specific entity which accounts for severe disability and currently lacks effective treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Graz Medical University, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Enzinger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ropele
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Storch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strasser-Fuchs
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fazekas
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology