Magnetic Resonance Imaging-negative Acute Inflammatory Myelopathy following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection

Intern Med. 2023 Aug 1;62(15):2267-2272. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.1344-22. Epub 2023 May 10.

Abstract

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of gait disturbance and urinary retention that acutely emerged 1 week after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Acute inflammatory myelopathy was clinically suspected, based on bilateral lower-limb weakness with an extensor plantar response and an elevated immunoglobulin G level in the cerebrospinal fluid. Whole-spine magnetic resonance imaging findings were normal. The central conduction time was extended, based on somatosensory evoked potentials. Her lower-limb weakness was partially ameliorated with immunosuppressive therapy. Postinfectious myelopathy is a rare neurological complication of coronavirus disease 2019 and can develop with normal radiological findings.

Keywords: COVID-19; MRI-negative myelopathy; neurological complication; postinfectious myelopathy; somatosensory evoked potential; steroid.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / complications
  • COVID-19* / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Weakness / complications
  • Myelitis* / complications
  • Spinal Cord Diseases* / diagnostic imaging
  • Spinal Cord Diseases* / etiology
  • Spine