Heterogenous group of inflammatory disorders that is characterized by motor, sensory, and autonomic spinal cord dysfunction.
May have acute or subacute symptoms.
Caused by int2242uptions in ascending and descending neurologic pathways in the transverse plane of the spinal cord.
It is associated with a sensory level.
Estimated annual incidence about 1.3-8 cases per million for idiopathic or postinfectious disease and greater than 24 cases per million when acquired demyelinating cases are included.
Bimodal peak in incidence-10-19 years of age and 30-39 years.
No predilection for gender, geography or familial pattern.
Most often due to an autoimmune process following infection or vaccination, direct infection, underlying systemic autoimmune disease, or an acquired demyelinating disease or neuromyelitis spectrum of diseases.
60% of cases in children associated with vaccination.
Acquired demyelinating diseases includes primarily multiple sclerosis.
15-30% of cases are idiopathic.