title: Transient cardiomyopathy as the presenting feature of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
abstract: Brainstem lesions are rarely associated with neurogenic pulmonary oedema (NPO) in multiple sclerosis and other disorders. The exact mechanism for this is unknown. We describe a case of a 15-year-old boy who presented with transient cardiomyopathy and severe acute pulmonary oedema. Several days after his initial presentation he developed an ataxic syndrome with limb, truncal and gait ataxia and nystagmus on primary gaze. Investigations confirmed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). For the first time, we describe a case of transient cardiomyopathy and NPO as the initial manifestation of ADEM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BA, Northern Ireland. ellen.mawhinney@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mawhinney
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: McDonnell
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors