Combined sclerosis of the spinal cord revealing vitamin B 12 deficiency: geriatric characteristics apropos of a case evaluated by MRI

La Revue de médecine interne
O BeauchetR Gonthier

Abstract

Cobalamin deficiency is common in the elderly. However, most of the patients are asymptomatic or present with few symptoms. A subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord accounts for only 10% of the neurological complications. Revealing forms of this myelopathy are exceptional, and were rarely documented by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study. We report a case of subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord in an 81-year-old woman evaluated by a spinal cord MRI. We discuss the role of the spinal cord radiographic study in the diagnosis, the etiopathogeny of cobalamin deficiency and the benefit of vitamin supplementation even at a late stage of the disease in geriatrics patients. The spinal cord MRI is useful in the diagnosis of late-form combined spinal cord degeneration. The high frequency of atrophic gastritis in elderly prevents the identification of a deficiency of the cobalamin etiology. The treatment relies on vitamin therapy even in the late stages. The severe disability of cobalamin deficiency neurological complications must encourage an earlier diagnosis in elderly patients.

Citations

Sep 15, 2006·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Olavo M VasconcelosZenaide M N Quezado

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Atrophic Gastritis

Atrophic Gastritis is a process where gastric glandular cells are lost and replaced with firbous tissues, as a result of chronic inflammation. Learn more about Atrophic Gastritis here.

Related Papers

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine
Wannapha PetchkruaJennifer J James
European Journal of Neurology : the Official Journal of the European Federation of Neurological Societies
C MassonH Dehen
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved