[Ankylosing spondylitis with mononeuritis and possible multiple sclerosis (author's transl)]

A patient with ankylosing spondylitis developed a neurological disorder suggesting multiple sclerosis. An increased level of gammaglobulin was detected in the analysis of the cerebro spinal fluid. The response to steroid therapy, however, was unusual to that of multiple sclerosis since clinical manifestations disappeared shortly after, recurred some months later after discontinuance of the treatment, and subside again when the administration of corticosteroids was repeated. On the other hand, the patient developed an acute right peroneal neuritis with slowness of the conduction velocity. Although the association of a clinical picture resembling multiple sclerosis with ankylosing spondylitis has been reported, there are a few, and sometimes poorly documented, published cases. The literature is reviewed and the possibility of a relationship between the isolated peripheral neuritis and the underlying disease is suggested.