title: Microscopic polyangiitis presenting with peripheral and central neurological manifestations.
abstract: Although peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of microscopic angiitis, manifestations involving the muscle and the central nervous system have been rarely reported. We describe a 48-year-old man who rapidly developed a clinical picture of mononeuritis multiplex. A month after the appearance of the primary symptoms, he became comatose and had left hemiplegia in relation with a massive cerebral haematoma. Laboratory data revealed signs of inflammation, glomerular dysfunction with microhaematuria, and positive myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. The neuromuscular biopsy disclosed a small-vessel vasculitis, consisting with microscopic angiitis, associated with myositis and extensive axonal loss. The patient had surgical evacuation of the haematoma and received immunosuppressive therapy with good outcome. Thus, microscopic angiitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases of myositis and intracerebral haemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, National Institute of Neurology, Tunis, Tunisia. bensassisam@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: S Ben
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Sassi
authors.forename: I Ben
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Ghorbel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizouni
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Houman
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hentati
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D055953:Microscopic Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020422:Mononeuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D009220:Myositis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000473:pathology*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020127:Recovery of Function; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D020293:Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone