Acute Therapies for the Neuroimmunologic Disorders

If you or your family member are currently in the hospital and experiencing an inflammatory attack, it is very important that you carefully review all of the following information on this page that describes and explains the acute treatments. You should review and consider this information carefully if your inflammatory attack (immune-mediated) has been diagnosed as TM, NMO, ADEM or ON. There is a short window of opportunity for treating the inflammatory attack. Once the inflammatory attack has resolved, the window of opportunity for acute treatment is closed.

If the attack is within days or up to a few weeks (perhaps up to 6 weeks from onset), you should consult your physician about whether you are a candidate for acute therapies in addition to high dose intravenous steroids (if you have not already received additional therapies). Please review all of the information about acute treatments carefully, and be sure to discuss options with your physician as quickly as possible. If your physician does not have experience with Transverse Myelitis and is uncertain about acute therapy options, please ask them to consult with Dr. Douglas A. Kerr, TM Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Center (Baltimore) or Dr. Benjamin Greenberg, TM Center, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas).

After the acute treatments have been administered, you or your family member should focus on intensive rehabilitation therapy, when appropriate. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Foundation web site offers excellent information regarding what should be considered in selecting a rehabilitation facility.

Terapie in Fase Acuta delle patologie neuroimmunitarie

Acute Therapies for MS and other Neuroimmunologic Disorders
Brian Weinshenker, MD, FRCP
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester MN
http://www.myelitis.org/newsletters/j2/journal-2-06.htm
Terapias Agudas para la Esclerosis Múltiple y otros trastornos neuroinmunologicos

Acute Therapies for Transverse Myelitis
Benjamin Greenberg, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor, Richard T. Johnson Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Transverse Myelitis Center

http://www.myelitis.org/newsletters/j2/journal-2-07.htm

Aguda terapias para Mielitis Transversa

Acute Therapies for Idiopathic Transverse Myelitis
Greenberg BM, Thomas KP, Krishnan C, Kaplin AI, Calabresi PA, Kerr DA.
Neurology. 2007 May 8;68(19):1614-7.
http://www.myelitis.org/newsletters/v7n2/newsletter7-2-04.htm

Acute Treatment Therapies: Steroids, IVIG, Plasma Exchange, Cytoxan
Brian Weinshenker, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Presentation at the 2004 Rare Neuroimmunologic Disorders Symposium

View Video 29 mins

Acute Therapies: Steroids, IVIG, Plasma Exchange, Cytoxan
Benjamin M. Greenberg, MD, MHS
Presentation at the 2006 Rare Neuroimmunologic Disorders Symposium
View Video 38 mins

Accute Therapies: Steroids, IVIG, Plasma Exchange, Cytoxan
Benjamin M. Greenberg, MD, MHS
Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD
Presentation at the 2007 Southwest Symposium on Neuroimmunologic Disorders

View Video 28 mins

Handout

Acute Therapies: Steroids, IVIG, Plasma Exchange and Cyclophosphamide
Benjamin M. Greenberg, MD, MHS
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Presentation at the 2008 Rare Neuroimmunologic Disorders Symposium

Presentation handout

View Video 39 min