HIV infection presenting with motor axonal variant of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
We present a case of acute motor axonal neuropathy in a patient with previously unrecognized human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.


METHODS
A 46-year-old male graduate student from Mali, Africa presented with a 3-week history of progressive weakness that began during a visit home from Utah. The symptoms stabilized by 6 weeks and gradually improved without treatment.


RESULTS
Electrodiagnostic studies revealed widespread fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves with normal sensory amplitudes and no demyelinating features. Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis and elevated protein prompted a test for HIV infection, which returned positive.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first case of acute motor axonal neuropathy in HIV outside of a seroconversion reaction.
Wagner
Jeffrey C
JC
Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Jeffrey.wagner@hsc.utah.edu
Bromberg
Mark B
MB
D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*