Partial acute transverse myelitis is a predictor of multiple sclerosis in children

Background:Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) in children is a rare and often severe disease for which there are few known prognostic factors, particularly the subsequent risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.Objectives:To determine the clinical course and prognostic factors after a first episode of ATM in children.Methods:Thirty children below 16 years of age diagnosed with a first neurological episode of ATM were included retrospectively. Clinical evaluation, treatment, laboratory, and MRI data were collected.Results:Median age at onset was 11 years (range 3–15 years). Follow-up data were available for a median of 4 years (range 0.5–16.7 years). Five patients subsequently had a diagnosis of MS (17%), which was associated with acute partial transverse myelitis (odds ratio 5; 95% confidence interval 2.3–11), with a 60% probability of having a relapse at five years (p < 0.01). The 2011 Verhey criteria correctly identified MS in children with the highest specificity (96%) and sensitivity (80%).Conclusion:A...