[HIV-associated myelopathy: an uncommon indicator of AIDS].

INTRODUCTION

Spinal cord lesions are an uncommon mode of discovering acquired immunodeficiency syndrome because they usually appear at a later stage.

EXEGESIS

We report a 58-year-old patient who had a spastic paraparesia and sphincter dysfunction. The spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging showed spontaneous hypersignals on T2-weighted images at the cervical and thoracic levels, enhanced with gadolinium, and without swelling. No cause was found. The HIV serology was positive and allowed us to consider an HIV-associated myelopathy. The antiretroviral therapy led to functional recovery.

CONCLUSION

An HIV serology is suggested whenever an unexplained intramedullary lesion is discovered. Indeed, the diagnosis of HIV-associated myelopathy implies a specific therapeutic approach.