       Document 0817
 DOCN  M9440817
 TI    Intravenous methylprednisolone in HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical
       spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP).
 DT    9404
 AU    Araujo AQ; Afonso CR; Leite AC; Dultra SV; Unidade de Neuropatias
       Associadas ao HTLV, Hospital Evandro; Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro
       RJ, Brasil.
 SO    Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 1993 Sep;51(3):325-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94127954
 AB    HTLV-I (Human T-lymphotropic virus type I) associated
       myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is an immunomediated
       myelopathy induced by the HTLV-I. Some patients, specially those from
       Japan, seem to have a good response to steroid treatment. However, this
       has not been found in other regions of the world. High dose intravenous
       methylprednisolone has been used with success in patients with relapses
       of multiple sclerosis (MS), another autoimmune disease of the central
       nervous system. To test the effectiveness of methylprednisolone in
       patients with HAM/TSP, we devised an open trial in 23 patients. We found
       a very limited benefit of this form of treatment in these patients. Only
       one patient, who had the shortest disease duration (five months) in the
       whole group, showed a sustained benefit. We speculate that those
       patients with a shorter history, with presumably less demyelination and
       more inflammatory lesions, would show a better response to
       immunosuppressive treatments.
 DE    Female  Human  HTLV-I Antibodies/ANALYSIS  Injections, Intravenous  Male
       Methylprednisolone/*ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE  Paraparesis, Tropical
       Spastic/*DRUG THERAPY  Prognosis  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  CLINICAL
       TRIAL  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

