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Differential diagnosis of optic neuritis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis

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Abstract

The authors report a 38-year-old white man with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who presented with recurrent ischaemic optic neuritis. The initial diagnosis was of multiple sclerosis, but further investigation showed serology and cerebrospinal fluid culture positive for syphilis. After treatment for tertiary syphilis with penicillin, there was complete remission of the ocular symptoms. This case illustrates the differential diagnosis of optic neuritis in AS and supports the relevance of investigating infectious diseases in the management of ischaemic optic neuritis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, State University of Campinas Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Brazil

    Simone Appenzeller, Gláucio R. Werner de Castro, Percival D. Sampaio-Barros, Zoraida Sachetto, Adil M. Samara & Sandra Regina M. Fernandes

  2. Disciplina de Reumatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Distrito de Barão Geraldo, Campinas-SP, Brazil CEP 13081–970

    Simone Appenzeller

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  1. Simone Appenzeller
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  2. Gláucio R. Werner de Castro
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  3. Percival D. Sampaio-Barros
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  4. Zoraida Sachetto
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  5. Adil M. Samara
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  6. Sandra Regina M. Fernandes
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Correspondence to Simone Appenzeller.

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Appenzeller, S., Werner de Castro, G.R., Sampaio-Barros, P.D. et al. Differential diagnosis of optic neuritis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol Int 24, 247–249 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-003-0401-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-003-0401-5

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