J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2009 Apr;33(2):249-251.

Atopic Myelitis in a Child: A case report

• Park SH
• Lee JY

Abstract

Atopic myelitis is defined as myelitis of unknown cause with either hyperIgEaemia and mite antigen-specific IgE positivity or coexistent atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and bronchial asthma. Atopic myelitis was shown to preferentially affect young males and the cervical spinal cord. We report a rare case of atopic myelitis which occurred in a child. A 13-year-old male had typical history of atopic dermatitis. He developed paresthesia and numbness of both upper extremities with the upper limb muscle weakness. The magnetic resonance imaging scans showed localized inflammation in the cervical cord. The cerebrospinal fluid findings were normal and oligoclonal immunoglobulin G bands were absent. Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone obtained clinical improvement. The location of the lesion in the cervical cord on the magnetic resonance imaging and the past history of atopic dermatitis should be suggestive of atopic myelitis.

Keyword

Atopic myelitis; Atopic dermatitis; Cervical cord

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Asthma
Child
Dermatitis, Atopic
Humans
Hypesthesia
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin G
Inflammation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Methylprednisolone
Mites
Muscle Weakness
Myelitis
Paresthesia
Rhinitis
Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial
Spinal Cord
Upper Extremity
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin G
Methylprednisolone