Context: As there are wide differentials for longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) and they vary in different demographics so, its aetiology should be found to optimise management.
Aims: Clinical profile of LETM
Settings and Design:Ambispective observational study from a tertiary level health care station.
Methods and Material: 73 patients with acute to subacute myelitis involving 3 or more vertebral segments were properly investigated.
Statistical analysis: used Student t test and Mann-whitney test used, and comparison of data done using SPSS version 22.0
Result: The etiology found were in form of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMO-SD) in 18(24.6%), para-infectious in 13(17.8%), idiopathic in 17(23.2%), infectious in 9(12.3%), and rest were acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), subacute combined degeneration (SACD), infarct, radiation myelitis etc. One important finding was that anti TPO antibody positive LETM required immunomodulators as the steroids were not enough.
Conclusions: It is important to find aetiology of LETM to optimise the therapy. In inflammatory myelitis other than NMOSD as the line of management is different.
Keywords: Longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, Neuro-myelitis optica spectrum disorders, Acute disseminated encephalo-myelitis, Sub acute combined degeneration