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Recurrent opticomyelitis associated with anti-DNA antibody
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|September 1, 1994
Summary
Two patients experienced neurological symptoms mimicking multiple sclerosis, later diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus. This highlights the importance of considering autoimmune diseases in neurological diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Neurological manifestations can be early signs of systemic autoimmune diseases.
- Differentiating between primary neurological disorders and autoimmune conditions is clinically significant.
Observation:
- Two patients presented with recurrent acute myelitis and optic neuritis.
- One patient had isolated neurological symptoms, while the other later developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Findings:
- Neurological symptoms were clinically indistinguishable from multiple sclerosis.
- Both patients developed antinuclear and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies post-neurological onset.
- The cases suggest SLE as the underlying cause of the neurological presentations.
Implications:
- Autoimmune markers should be investigated in patients with unexplained myelitis and optic neuritis.
- Early diagnosis of SLE can prevent or mitigate severe organ damage.
- This case series broadens the understanding of neurological presentations in systemic lupus erythematosus.