[A case showing recurrence of myelopathy and optic nerve disturbance accompanied by pusturosis palmaris et plantaris and positive anticardiolipin antibody].

The patient is a 62-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital with chief complaints of paresthesia in the four extremities and the trunk and gait disturbance in February 1993. Habitual abortions and left retrobulbar optic neuritis were present in the past history. She had been suffering from pusturosis palmaris et plantaris for 10 years. On admission, weakness of the distal muscles in the right upper extremity and severe disturbance of the deep sensations in the bilateral lower extremities and the right upper extremity were present. With the progress of the neurological symptoms, pusturosis palmaris et plantaris progressed. After the admission, the neurological symptoms became better by the administration of corticosteroid hormone medicine. After that, myelopathy and left optic nerve disturbance relapsed and IgG anti-cardiolipin antibody in the serum was present. The neurological symptom, pusturosis palmaris et plantaris and positive IgG anti-cardiolipin antibody in the serum may be caused by immunological mechanism. Anti-phospholipid antibodies such as IgG anti-cardiolipin antibody in the serum should be examined in patients with clinical multiple sclerosis like our case.