PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - W Qiu
AU  - J-S Wu
AU  - M-N Zhang
AU  - T Matsushita
AU  - J-i Kira
AU  - W M Carroll
AU  - F L Mastaglia
AU  - A G Kermode
TI  - Longitudinally extensive myelopathy in Caucasians: a West Australian study of 26 cases from the Perth Demyelinating Diseases Database
AID  - 10.1136/jnnp.2009.172973
DP  - 2010 Feb 01
TA  - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
PG  - 209--212
VI  - 81
IP  - 2
4099  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/81/2/209.short
4100  - http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/81/2/209.full
SO  - J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry2010 Feb 01; 81
AB  - Objectives To characterise West Australian cases of longitudinally extensive myelopathy (LEM).Methods Twenty six patients with LEM were identified from a cohort of 983 patients with demyelinating disease. Clinical and MRI data and AQP4-IgG results were reviewed.Results LEM cases were classified as conventional MS (CMS) 13, neuromyelitis optica (NMO) 7, and isolated LEM 6. LEM was the initial presentation in 13/26 cases. In CMS cases lesions were mainly in the lower cervical cord (C4–C7) whereas in NMO and isolated LEM they were more often thoracic and were longer. The severity of disability was highly variable but was greater in the NMO than the CMS group. Only one of 20 patients tested was seropositive for AQP4-IgG.Conclusion LEM occurred as part of CMS or NMO or in isolation. Patients with LEM had highly heterogeneous clinical characteristics and a low rate of AQP4-IgG seropositivity.