Abstract:

Objective: To describe the epidemiologic, clinical, neuroimaging, and laboratory features; treatment; and outcome in a cohort of children with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Methods: Clinical features, laboratory and radiological findings of 14 patients with the diagnosis of ADEM were recorded in 2004-2010 in the range of 6-year follow-up time period in Pediatric Neurology Department of Selçuk University. Results: Ten patients were boys and four were girls. Ten patients presented either in winter or in spring. The majority of patients (64.2%) had as history of acute febrile illness. Patients presented most often with gait disturbances (71.4%) and secondly with altered consciousness (57%). Despite rigorous microbiologic testing, a definite microbiologic diagnosis was established only in four patients. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified lesions in the cortex and, or in subcortical white matter, especially in the frontal (57%) and temporal (42%) regions. Ten patients were treated with corticosteroids, and four were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. Ganciclovir and clarithromycin were administered in patients with Epstein-Barr virus and mycoplasma according to the serology. In 13 patients, all neurologic signs and symptoms resolved after treatment. Conclusion: The present series demonstrates that acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children occurs predominantly in winter and spring and often follows an upper respiratory tract illness.

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