Acute transverse myelopathy successfully treated with plasmapheresis and prednisone in a patient with primary sjöugren's syndrome

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Abstract
We report a case of acute transverse myelopathy in a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome of 3 years duration. Our patient's acute transverse myelopathy developed within 1 week and resulted in complete paraparesis below the mamillary level. Extensive laboratory investigation ruled out viral, bacterial, and fungal etiology, Guillain‐Barré syndrome, poliomyelitis, and multiple sclerosis. At diagnosis, treatment was initiated immediately with prednisone (80 mg/day) and plasmapheresis, which was performed as a first‐aid measure. Improvement was noted as early as 10 days after the start of therapy. Within 5½ months of the first symptoms of paralysis, the patient walked without difficulty and returned to her normal activities. A causal relationship between plasmapheresis/prednisone therapy and recovery has not been proven but merits further consideration.