Abstract
Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterized by the triad of ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. It is exceptional for infants to be involved. Two infants, aged 11 and 16 months, developed acute-onset MFS. Both patients had prodromal upper respiratory tract infection. Pupillary responses to light, strength and sensation modalities were preserved. One patient was lethargic for a day; the electroencephalogram disclosed slightly slow background activity that later became normal. The other received high-dose intravenous immunoglobulins for 5 consecutive days starting at once on admission; within the next 7 days he became asymptomatic. Increased cerebrospinal fluid protein content and delayed nerve conduction studies with prolonged distal latencies were encountered in both patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aicardi J (1992) Para-infectious and other inflammatory disorders of immunological origin. In: Aicardi J (ed) Diseases of the nervous system in childhood. MacKeith Press, Oxford, pp 697–731
Arakawa Y, Yoshimura M, Kobayashi S, et al (1993) The use of intravenous immunoglobulin in Miller Fisher syndrome. Brain Dev 15:231–233
Berlit P, Rakicky J (1992) The Miller Fisher syndrome. J Clin Neuroophthalmol 12:57–63
Dwyer JM (1992) Manipulating the immune system with immune globulin. N Engl J Med 326:107–116
Fisher M (1956) An unusual variant of acute idiopathic polyneuritis (syndrome of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia). N Engl J Med 225:57–65
Green SH (1976) Polyradiculitis (Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome) with total external ophthalmoplegia: encephalo-myelo-radiculo-neuropathy. Dev Med Child Neurol 18:369–380
Marks HG, Augustyn P, Allen RJ (1977) Fisher's syndrome in children. Pediatrics 60:726–729
Najim Al-Din S, Anderson M, EegOlofsson O, et al (1994) Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations of the syndrome of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia: a review. Acta Neurol Scand 89:157–163
Qaqundah BY (1970) Miller Fisher syndrome in a 22-month-old child: brief clinical and laboratory observations. J Pediatr 77:868–870
Roberts M, Willison H, Vincent A, et al (1994) Serum factor in Miller Fisher variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome and neurotransmitter release. Lancet 343:454–455
Watters GV, Humphreys P (1981) Fisher syndrome in childhood. Neurology 31:555–560
Willison HJ, Veitch J, Paterson G, et al (1993) Miller Fisher syndrome is associated with serum antibodies to GQ1b ganglioside. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 56:204–206
Zifko U, Drlicek M, Senautka G, et al (1994) High dose immunoglobulin therapy is effective in the Miller Fisher syndrome (letter). J Neurol 241:187–189
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benito-León, J., Bravo, J., Mateos, F. et al. Miller Fisher syndrome in infancy. Child's Nerv Syst 12, 559–561 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261612
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261612