Predictors of recurrence of transverse myelitis: role of evoked potentials
Nitin K.Sethi, Assistant Professor of Neurology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, 525 East 68th Street, New York, NY 100sethinitinmd@hotmail.com
Nitin K Sethi, New York, NY
Submitted May 24, 2014
I read with interest Kimbrough et al. study identifying predictors of
recurrence in patients presenting with first episode of transverse
myelitis (TM)1. As the authors point out it is important to determine
recurrence risk early and accurately in these patients so that
immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive therapy can be instituted in a
timely fashion prior to an attack which leaves permanent neurological
deficits and disability. One modality which can be of potential help in
this decision making process and which the authors do not discuss are
evoked potential modalities. Visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked
potentials may yield evidence of white matter tract involvement in the
brain and spinal cord which may not be visible on MRI and help clarify the
diagnosis.
References
1. Kimbrough DJ, Mealy MA, Simpson A, Levy M. Predictors of
recurrence following an initial episode of transverse myelitis.
Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation 2014.
I read with interest Kimbrough et al. study identifying predictors of recurrence in patients presenting with first episode of transverse myelitis (TM)1. As the authors point out it is important to determine recurrence risk early and accurately in these patients so that immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive therapy can be instituted in a timely fashion prior to an attack which leaves permanent neurological deficits and disability. One modality which can be of potential help in this decision making process and which the authors do not discuss are evoked potential modalities. Visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials may yield evidence of white matter tract involvement in the brain and spinal cord which may not be visible on MRI and help clarify the diagnosis.
References
1. Kimbrough DJ, Mealy MA, Simpson A, Levy M. Predictors of recurrence following an initial episode of transverse myelitis. Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation 2014.