title: Alcoholic Myelopathy and Nutritional Deficiency.
abstract: A patient with chronic alcoholism presented with myelopathy and low serum folate and cobalamin levels. A 42-year-old alcoholic man had gait disturbance for 4 months. A neurological examination revealed marked spasticity with increased deep tendon reflexes and extensor plantar responses of the lower limbs. His cobalamin level was decreased and his serum folate level was particularly low. His plasma ammonia level was not increased. Abstinence and folic acid and cobalamin supplementation stopped the progression of his neurological deficits. This case indicates that nutritional deficiency should be monitored closely in patients with chronic alcoholism who present with myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Shohei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Mie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawagashira
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.forename: Masahisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsuno
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sobue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12