Subacute myelopathy: an unusual paraneoplastic complication of Hodgkin's disease.

We report a case of Hodgkin disease presenting with a subacute myelopathy without evidence of metastatic involvement of the spinal cord. The systemic disease responded to conventional chemotherapy, but the myelopathy only improved after intrathecal dexamethasone was added to the treatment program, beta-2-microglobulin levels in the cerebrospinal fluid were elevated at presentation. Following the use of intrathecal corticosteroids there was a decrease of CSF beta-2-microglobulin levels. The possible significance of these findings is discussed.