Atypical clinical manifestations of Miller Fisher syndrome

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterized by a clinical triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia, and is closely associated with serum anti-GQ1b antibody. Although the clinical triad is the cardinal diagnostic clue, a variety of other symptoms and signs beyond the triad have been reported...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurological sciences 2019, Vol.40 (1), p.67-73
Main Authors: Jung, Jae Ho, Oh, Eun Hye, Shin, Jin-Hong, Kim, Dae-Seong, Choi, Seo-Young, Choi, Kwang-Dong, Choi, Jae-Hwan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibodies
Ataxia
Cerebrospinal fluid
Gangliosides
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Headache
Headaches
Hospitals
Immunoglobulins
Laboratories
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Miller-Fisher syndrome
Neurology
Neuropathy
Neuroradiology
Neurosciences
Neurosurgery
Ophthalmoplegia
Optic nerve
Original Article
Pain
Paralysis
Psychiatry
Swelling
Taste
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Summary:Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterized by a clinical triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia, and is closely associated with serum anti-GQ1b antibody. Although the clinical triad is the cardinal diagnostic clue, a variety of other symptoms and signs beyond the triad have been reported. To elucidate the frequency and characteristics of atypical clinical manifestations of MFS, we recruited 38 patients with MFS and evaluated the symptoms or signs beyond the classic triad. Eleven (29%) of 38 patients had atypical clinical manifestations of MFS such as headache ( n  = 6), delayed facial palsy ( n  = 3), divergence insufficiency ( n  = 2), and taste impairment ( n  = 2). Headache was localized to the periorbital ( n  = 3), temporal ( n  = 2), or whole ( n  = 1) area. Only one of them showed bilateral papilledema and an elevated opening pressure in cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Delayed facial palsy developed after the other signs have reached nadir ( n  = 1) or started to improve ( n  = 2), and did not follow a pattern of descending paralysis with other cranial neuropathies. Two patients showed divergence insufficiency without external ophthalmoplegia, and another two had taste impairment over the entire tongue without the other signs of facial and glossopharyngeal nerve involvements. Our study shows that approximately 30% of MFS patients can have atypical clinical manifestations beyond the classic triad. These results reflect the broad clinical spectrum of MFS, and might be associated with the presence of additional antiganglioside antibodies besides anti-GQ1b in patients with MFS.
ISSN:1590-1874
1590-3478
DOI:10.1007/s10072-018-3580-2