Table 1 Summary of the important clinical findings and investigations of all patients
From: Can vitamin B12 deficiency manifest with acute posterolateral or posterior cord syndrome?
Characteristics | Patient 1 | Patient 2 | Patient 3 | Patient 4 | Patient 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 31 | 18 | 16 | 33 | 15 |
Sex | Male | Female | Female | Male | Female |
Total duration of illness (days) | 10 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 6 |
Vegetarian | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
UL or LL complaints | UL | LL | LL | UL | LL |
Ankle reflex | Normal | Absent | Absent | Normal | Absent |
Plantar reflex | Flexor | Extensor | Extensor | Flexor | Flexor |
Romberg test | Negative | Positive | Positive | Negative | Positive |
Sensory gait ataxia | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Pseudoathetosis of hands | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Haemoglobin (12–15 g dl−1) | 9.0 | 8.5 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 13.2 |
MCV (80–100 fL) | 106 | 112 | 96 | 108 | 116 |
Macrocytes in peripheral smear | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Vitamin B12 level (243–894 pg ml−1) | 97 | 86 | 102 | 92 | 88 |
Homocysteine (5–15 μmol l−1) | 57 | 62 | 48 | 66 | 71 |
MRI spinal cord | Cervical posterior cord hyperintensity | Thoracic posterior cord hyperintensity | Thoracic posterior cord hyperintensity | Cervical posterior cord hyperintensity | Normal |
Clinical syndrome | Acute posterior cord syndrome | Acute posterolateral cord syndrome | Acute posterolateral cord syndrome | Acute posterior cord syndrome | Acute posterior cord syndrome |
Complete improvement | 3 months | 2 months | 1 month | 2 months | 3 months |
