Ankylosing Spondylitis Associated with Acute Transverse Myelitis

Korean J Med > Volume 80(2); 2011 > Article

Original Article

The Korean Journal of Medicine 2011;80(2):314-318.

Ankylosing Spondylitis Associated with Acute Transverse Myelitis

Deok Won Hwang1, Jae Hoon Kim1, Jin Ju Kim1, Eun Kyoung Kim1, Eun Mi Kim1, Hyun Young Kim2, Tae Hwan Kim1

강직성 척추염 환자에서 동반된 급성 횡단성 척추염

황덕원1, 김재훈1, 김진주1, 김은경1, 김은미1, 김현영2, 김태환1

Abstract

Neurological manifestations as extra-articular features of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have not been reported often, and present as root lesions, cauda equina syndrome, and compression of the spinal cord. We report a 31-year-old man who complained of back pain and claudication of both lower extremities. The patient showed typical inflammatory back pain and significant sacroiliitis, consistent with AS. He also had mechanical back pain and unexplained neurological symptoms. A neurological evaluation, including spinal magnetic resonance imaging and a cerebrospinal fluid study, revealed that the patient had acute transverse myelitis (ATM). ATM can be associated with connective tissue diseases. The pathophysiology of ATM consists primarily of inflammatory disorders, similar to the neurological complications of AS. We suggest that ATM is a possible extra-articular manifestation of AS.

Key Words: Ankylosing spondylitis; Acute transverse myelitis; Neurological manifestation