Oral contraceptive induced chorea: another condition associated with anti-basal ganglia antibodies
- 1Department of Neurology, University of Chile, Chile
- 2Department of Neurology, The Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
- 3Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Correspondence to: Dr M Miranda Department of Neurology, University of Chile, Llewellyn Jones 1530, Suite 201, Santiago, Chile; e-mail: marcelomirandaterra.cl
- Received 28 May 2003
- Accepted 21 July 2003
Abstract
Use of oral contraceptives is a recognised but infrequent cause of chorea. This type of chorea has usually been considered a reactivation of Sydenham’s chorea by an unknown mechanism. A patient developed a chorea triggered by the use of oral contraceptives with no definite evidence of previous Sydenham’s chorea or recent streptoccocal infections. However, the patient had positive anti-basal ganglia antibodies, which supports an immunological basis for the pathophysiology of this chorea.
Footnotes
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Competing interest: none declared
