title: The demographic, clinical, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of transverse myelitis in children.
abstract: The authors collected demographic, clinical, and neuroimaging data prospectively on 38 children with transverse myelitis. One child died during the illness. The female:male ratio was 1.2:1 for children under age 10 years and 2.6:1 over age 10 years. Twenty-eight (74%) reported a prodromal event. Twenty-two patients (58%) had longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, 9 (24%) had focal lesions, and 5 (13%) had both. Twenty of 33 with brain imaging (61%) had brain lesions; 7 fulfilled McDonald criteria for dissemination in space. Seven of 22 (36%) tested had cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal banding, 6 of whom had brain lesions. Serum neuromyelitis optica IgG antibodies were absent in all 20 of the children for whom this test was available. At follow-up (mean 3.2 ± 2.0 years), 16% are wheelchair-dependent, 22% have persisting bladder dysfunction, and 13% have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Service, Department of Pediatrics, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Terrence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Branson
authors.forename: Leonard H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Verhey
authors.forename: Manohar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shroff
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magalhaes
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Banwell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007136:Immunoglobulins