Progressive subacute Miller-Fisher syndrome successfully treated with plasmapheresis.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Miller-Fisher Syndrome (MFS) is a rare acute polyneuropathy composed of the clinical triad of ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia, with a monophasic, self-limited course and spontaneous improvement. CASE REPORT The authors present a 65-year-old man with Miller-Fisher syndrome consisting of bilateral ophthalmoplegia, trigeminal and facial nerve palsy, mild ataxia and peripheral neuropathy. The disease had a progressive, subacute course within 3 months. A high titer of anti-GQ1b antibodies was detected. As a result of plasmapheresis, complete recovery was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The presented case was atypical in its clinical course and treatment. It could support the theory of the continuity between MFS, Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE), and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).