title: CNS demyelination in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Autoimmune diseases represent a diverse group of disorders that have generally of unknown etiology and poorly understood pathogenesis. They may be organ-specific or systemic, giving rise to overlapping syndromes; more than one autoimmune disease may occur in the same patient. Numerous case reports have documented that multiple sclerosis (MS) may be present concurrently with other autoimmune diseases, most commonly rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, type I diabetes mellitus and pernicious anemia. Case reports of disseminated encephalomyelitis (DEM) coincidental with other autoimmune diseases are rare. Many of systemic autoimmune diseases cause central nervous system (CNS) demyelination and are frequently then diagnosed as MS, whereas they often are instances of DEM, the result of vascular, granulomatous or postinfectious manifestations. We have reviewed 15 patients with autoimmune diseases and CNS demyelination in order to determine the nature of the demyelinating process.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Neurology, Zagreb School of Medicine and University Hospital Center, Kispatićeva 12, Zagreb, Croatia. vesna.brinar@zg.htnet.hr
authors.forename: Vesna V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Brinar
authors.forename: Zeljka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Petelin
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brinar
authors.forename: Visnja
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Djaković
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zadro
authors.forename: Davorka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vranjes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D020278:Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged