Extremely Longitudinally Extensive Transverse Myelitis in a Patient With Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease

Cureus. 2024 May 8;16(5):e59938. doi: 10.7759/cureus.59938. eCollection 2024 May.

Abstract

Longitudinally extensive myelitis with 15 or more vertebrae in length is extremely rare, with limited evidence regarding clinical features and therapeutic response. We report a case of a 29-year-old male patient with extremely longitudinally extensive myelitis ultimately diagnosed as myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disease (MOGAD). The patient presented with an acute onset of meningismus, limb weakness, sensory disturbance below the C5 level, ataxia, and urinary retention. T2-weighted imaging on MRI showed an extremely longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesion ranging from C2 to the medullary conus, together with a left pontine lesion. Positive anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies were serologically detected, which led to the diagnosis of MOGAD. Intravenous methylprednisolone followed by 1 mg/kg oral prednisolone with taper resulted in complete symptomatic and radiological resolution. The striking complete resolution despite the symptomatic and radiological severity observed in this case has been described in a few previously reported MOGAD cases. Extremely longitudinally extensive myelitis with excellent therapeutic response may be a characteristic presentation of MOGAD.

Keywords: anti-mog antibody; longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis; mog associated antibody disease (mogad); neuro-immunology; spinal cord diseases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports