Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children

Abstract Background Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is a clinical syndrome marked by the sudden onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, requiring immediate medical intervention due to its potential for significant morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive studies on AFP, comparative analyses between c...

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Main Authors: Chien-Heng Lin, Ru-Huei Fu, I-Ching Chou, Yu-Tzu Chang, Syuan-Yu Hong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Italian Journal of Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-025-01980-2
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author Chien-Heng Lin
Ru-Huei Fu
I-Ching Chou
Yu-Tzu Chang
Syuan-Yu Hong
author_facet Chien-Heng Lin
Ru-Huei Fu
I-Ching Chou
Yu-Tzu Chang
Syuan-Yu Hong
author_sort Chien-Heng Lin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is a clinical syndrome marked by the sudden onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, requiring immediate medical intervention due to its potential for significant morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive studies on AFP, comparative analyses between cases with myelitis (M-AFP) and non-myelitis (NM-AFP) remain scarce. This study seeks to address this gap by analyzing demographic, clinical, and etiological distinctions between these groups. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 39 pediatric AFP patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2021. Participants were categorized into M-AFP (n = 22) and NM-AFP (n = 17) groups based on clinical symptoms and diagnostic imaging. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and underlying causes were analyzed to identify differences between the groups. Statistical methods were employed to assess significance. Results Significant clinical differences were observed: limb numbness was more prevalent in M-AFP, while myalgia was more common in NM-AFP. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell (CSF WBC) counts were noted in M-AFP cases, though the difference was not statistically significant. Etiologies of M-AFP included multiple sclerosis and enterovirus infections, while NM-AFP involved polymyositis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Conclusions This study highlights the distinct clinical and etiological profiles of M-AFP and NM-AFP, emphasizing the need for tailored diagnostic strategies to enhance outcomes in pediatric patients.
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spelling doaj-art-91e3d40b51674c85ae501e26862eb73e2025-08-20T03:10:32ZengBMCItalian Journal of Pediatrics1824-72882025-05-0151111010.1186/s13052-025-01980-2Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese childrenChien-Heng Lin0Ru-Huei Fu1I-Ching Chou2Yu-Tzu Chang3Syuan-Yu Hong4Division of Pediatrics Pulmonology, China Medical University Children’s HospitalGraduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityDivision of Pediatric Neurology, China Medical University Children’s HospitalDivision of Pediatric Neurology, China Medical University Children’s HospitalGraduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical UniversityAbstract Background Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is a clinical syndrome marked by the sudden onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, requiring immediate medical intervention due to its potential for significant morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive studies on AFP, comparative analyses between cases with myelitis (M-AFP) and non-myelitis (NM-AFP) remain scarce. This study seeks to address this gap by analyzing demographic, clinical, and etiological distinctions between these groups. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 39 pediatric AFP patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2021. Participants were categorized into M-AFP (n = 22) and NM-AFP (n = 17) groups based on clinical symptoms and diagnostic imaging. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and underlying causes were analyzed to identify differences between the groups. Statistical methods were employed to assess significance. Results Significant clinical differences were observed: limb numbness was more prevalent in M-AFP, while myalgia was more common in NM-AFP. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell (CSF WBC) counts were noted in M-AFP cases, though the difference was not statistically significant. Etiologies of M-AFP included multiple sclerosis and enterovirus infections, while NM-AFP involved polymyositis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Conclusions This study highlights the distinct clinical and etiological profiles of M-AFP and NM-AFP, emphasizing the need for tailored diagnostic strategies to enhance outcomes in pediatric patients.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-025-01980-2Acute flaccid paralysisMyelitisChildren
spellingShingle Chien-Heng Lin
Ru-Huei Fu
I-Ching Chou
Yu-Tzu Chang
Syuan-Yu Hong
Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children
Italian Journal of Pediatrics
Acute flaccid paralysis
Myelitis
Children
title Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children
title_full Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children
title_fullStr Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children
title_full_unstemmed Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children
title_short Comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in Taiwanese children
title_sort comprehensive analysis of acute flaccid paralysis with and without myelitis in taiwanese children
topic Acute flaccid paralysis
Myelitis
Children
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-025-01980-2
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