Frequency and characteristics of short versus longitudinally extensive myelitis in adults with MOG antibodies: A retrospective multicentric study.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to (1) determine the frequency and distinctive features of short myelitis (SM) and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) in a cohort of adults with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-antibody (Ab)-associated myelitis and (2) determine baseline prognostic factors among MOG-Ab-positive patients whose disease started with myelitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical and paraclinical variables from a multicentric French cohort of adults with MOG-Ab-associated myelitis. At last follow-up, patients were classified into two groups according to the severity of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) as ⩽2.5 or ⩾3.0. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients with at least one episode of myelitis over disease course were included; among them, 28 (38.4%) presented with SM at the time of the first myelitis. Motor and sphincter involvement was less frequently observed in SM (51.9% and 48.2%, respectively) than in LETM patients (83.3% and 78.6%, respectively), p = 0.007 and p = 0.017; 61% of LETM patients displayed brain lesions compared to 28.6% in the SM group, p = 0.008, and the thoracic segment was more frequently involved in the LETM (82.2%) than in the SM group (39.3%), p < 0.001. EDSS at last follow-up was higher in LETM (median 3.0 (interquartile range: 2.0-4.0)) compared to SM patients (2.0, (1.0-3.0)), p = 0.042. Finally, a higher EDSS at onset was identified as the only independent risk factor for EDSS ⩾3.0 (odds ratio, 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.95, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: SM in MOG-Ab-associated disease is not rare. The severity at onset was the only independent factor related to the final prognosis in MOG-Ab-associated myelitis.

A stress fracture of the lumbar spine in a professional rugby player.

In modern rugby, the spine is subjected to great physical pressure, with an increased number of impacts, on both the cervical and the lumbar spine. This case report illustrates overuse injuries of the lumbar spine in international professional rugby players. A 32-year-old sportsman had been practising rugby for 24 years and was playing for a championship level French team when he started suffering from a right lateral pain in the lumbosacral spine. A CT scan showed a unilateral isthmolysis and a coronal irregular fracture of the right pars interarticularis of L5. This led to discussion of (1) the importance of the decision on the date of return to playing rugby and (2) the future of professional rugby players with chronic spinal injuries.

Lung abscess in a professional rugby player: an illustration of overtraining syndrome?

As in other endurance sports, the intensity of training sessions and the pace of competition has significantly increased since rugby union became a professional sport. The case history is presented of a professional rugby player who was diagnosed with septicaemia and a lung abscess following an infected wound to the ear. The symptoms only resolved after a large dose of antibiotics and 3 months of rest. It is hypothesised that this may be an example of overtraining syndrome, but complementary blood analyses would be necessary to confirm this. The case underlines the importance of clinically assessing the individual capacity of players to recover, in order to prevent overtraining and to maintain a high level of performance during the whole season.