Recurrent Hopkin's syndrome: a case report and review of the literature.
Flaccid paralysis affecting one or more limbs after an asthma attack is a poliomyelitis-like illness known as Hopkins' syndrome (HS). Although a viral infection or multifactorial immune suppression during an acute attack of bronchial asthma has been proposed to be the mechanism involved in this syndrome, the precise etiopathogenetic mechanism remains unknown. We report a 13-year-old girl who had recurrent acute episodes of myelitis after asthma attacks. She had four episodes of acute flaccid paralysis, each of which was preceded by acute asthma attacks. Some of the attacks were accompanied by sensory and sphincter disturbances. She had hyperIgEaemia and the prick test to Dermatophagoides farinae and cedar pollen was strongly positive. The present case is the first HS case demonstrating frequent recurrences and suggests a possible link between HS and atopic myelitis.
Pavone
Piero
P
Department of Pediatric and Pediatric Neurology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria OVE-Policlinico, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy. ppavone@unict.it
Piero
Pavone
P
Longo
Maria Roberta
MR
Scalia
Ferdinando
F
Polosa
Riccardo
R
Kira
Jun-Ichi
J
Falsaperla
Raffaele
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010243:Paralysis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones