Acute Flaccid Myelitis Among Hospitalized Children in Texas, 2016

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) presents as acute limb weakness with spinal cord gray matter lesions.
• Limited data exist on long-term functional outcomes and definitive causes or treatments for AFM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical presentation, treatments, and functional outcomes of children diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis in Texas.
• To identify potential etiologies and assess recovery trajectories in pediatric AFM cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 21 pediatric patients diagnosed with AFM in Texas during 2016.
• Data collection included medical history, illness presentation, treatments, laboratory and imaging studies, and functional outcomes up to two years post-onset.

Main Results:

• Treatments varied, with no observed differences in response to common therapies like IVIG, methylprednisolone, or plasmapheresis.
• A potential cause was identified in 57% of cases, including enterovirus D68 in four patients.
• While five patients fully recovered, 71% of the remaining patients could perform daily activities independently or with mild deficits.

Conclusions:

• No single cause or treatment modality was strongly supported for acute flaccid myelitis.
• The majority of pediatric AFM patients achieve functional independence or mild deficits in daily activities, despite variable recovery rates.