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| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| lifeskim:mentions | |
| pubmed:dateCreated |
1991-1-10
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| pubmed:abstractText |
Unexplained spastic myelopathy in black (Zulu) patients, similar to that seen in the tropics, has previously been described from Natal, South Africa. Following reports linking the human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) to spastic myelopathy, we undertook a prospective and retrospective search for HTLV-I antibodies in 36 patients who were labelled as having unexplained myelopathy; 24 (66%) were positive and HTLV-I was isolated from 4 out of the 6 patients whose peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured. Eighteen (75%) gave a short history (less than 6 months). There was a female preponderance (71%), spinothalamic dysfunction was common (55%) and as many as half were severely disabled (50% wheelchair bound). Routine laboratory studies showed no specific trends apart from hypergammaglobulinaemia and CSF pleocytosis (greater than 5 cells/microliter in 66% of patients). The total CSF protein was raised (greater than 0.4 g/l) in 45% of patients. The IgG index was greater than 0.7 in 15 of 19 patients. Conventional myelography did not show any specific abnormalities. Computer assisted myelography was undertaken in 22 patients; 3 showed arachnoiditis and 2 spinal cord atrophy. Periventricular lucencies were seen in 1 of 10 patients who had computed tomography of the head. Nerve conduction studies demonstrated abnormalities in 46% of the patients indicating that subclinical peripheral nerve dysfunction was common. Visual evoked responses were abnormal in only 1 patient but brainstem auditory evoked response studies showed some abnormality in 42% of the patients. The finding of HTLV-I antibodies in a significant number, and the isolation of HTLV-I from the blood in 6 of our black patients with noncompressive myelopathy, represents a substantial clinical advance. Future studies should define more clearly the role of the virus in this disorder.
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| pubmed:language |
eng
|
| pubmed:journal | |
| pubmed:citationSubset |
AIM
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| pubmed:chemical | |
| pubmed:status |
MEDLINE
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| pubmed:month |
Oct
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| pubmed:issn |
0006-8950
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| pubmed:author | |
| pubmed:issnType |
Print
|
| pubmed:volume |
113 ( Pt 5)
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| pubmed:owner |
NLM
|
| pubmed:authorsComplete |
Y
|
| pubmed:pagination |
1307-20
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| pubmed:dateRevised |
2004-11-17
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| pubmed:meshHeading |
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Blotting, Western,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Electrophysiology,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Evoked Potentials,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Female,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-HTLV-I Antibodies,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Humans,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Male,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Nervous System,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Neural Conduction,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-South Africa,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Spinal Cord Diseases,
pubmed-meshheading:2245298-Spine
|
| pubmed:year |
1990
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| pubmed:articleTitle |
Myelopathy associated with human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in natal, South Africa. A clinical and investigative study in 24 patients.
|
| pubmed:affiliation |
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Natal, South Africa.
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| pubmed:publicationType |
Journal Article
|