Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine

Case Report: J Korean Acad Rehabil Med. 2009;33(2):249-251.; Atopic Myelitis in a Child: A case report.; Park, Sung Hee , Lee, Ji Yeoun; ¹Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Institute for Medical Science, and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Korea. shpark0130@chonbuk.ac.kr
²Department of Dermatology, Chungbuk National University Medical School, Korea.

Abstract: Atopic myelitis is defined as myelitis of unknown cause with either hyperIgEaemia and mite antigen-specific IgE positivity or coexistent atopic diseases such as atopic der-matitis, allergic rhinitis, and bronchial asthma. Atopic mye-litis was shown to preferentially affect young males and the cervical spinal cord. We report a rare case of atopic myelitis which occurred in a child. A 13-year-old male had typical history of atopic dermatitis. He developed paresthesia and numbness of both upper extremities with the upper limb muscle weakness. The magnetic resonance imaging scans showed localized inflammation in the cervical cord. The cerebrospinal fluid findings were normal and oligoclonal immunoglobulin G bands were absent. Treatment with intra-venous methylprednisolone obtained clinical improvement. The location of the lesion in the cervical cord on the magnetic resonance imaging and the past history of atopic dermatitis should be suggestive of atopic myelitis. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2009; 33: 249-251)

Keywords :Atopic myelitis, Atopic dermatitis, Cervical cord