TM
Epidemiology
TM has a conservatively estimated incidence of between 1 and 8 new cases per million per year, or approximately 1,400 new cases each year in the US.2-6 Although this disease affects people of all ages, there are peaks between the ages of 10 to 19 years and 30 to 39 years.4-6 In addition, approximately 25% of cases are in children.7 There is no gender or familial association with TM.8 In 75-90% of cases TM is monophasic, yet a small percentage experience recurrent disease, especially if there is a predisposing underlying illness.9-11
(2) Berman M, Feldman S, Alter M, Zilber N, Kahana E. Acute transverse myelitis: incidence and etiologic considerations. Neurology. 1981 Aug;31(8):966-71. doi: 10.1212/wnl.31.8.966. PMID: 7196523.
(3) Bhat A, Naguwa S, Cheema G, Gershwin ME. The epidemiology of transverse myelitis. Autoimmun Rev. 2010 Mar;9(5):A395-9. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2009.12.007. Epub 2009 Dec 24. PMID: 20035902.
(4) Jeffery DR, Mandler RN, Davis LE. Transverse myelitis. Retrospective analysis of 33 cases, with differentiation of cases associated with multiple sclerosis and parainfectious events. Arch Neurol. 1993 May;50(5):532-5. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1993.00540050074019. PMID: 8489410.
(5) Christensen PB, Wermuth L, Hinge HH, Bømers K. Clinical course and long-term prognosis of acute transverse myelopathy. Acta Neurol Scand. 1990 May;81(5):431-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1990.tb00990.x. PMID: 2375246.
(6) Altrocchi PH. Acute transverse myelopathy. Arch Neurol. 1963 Aug;9:111-9. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1963.00460080021002. PMID: 14048158.
(7) Pidcock FS, Krishnan C, Crawford TO, Salorio CF, Trovato M, Kerr DA. Acute transverse myelitis in childhood: center-based analysis of 47 cases. Neurology. 2007 May 1;68(18):1474-80. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000260609.11357.6f. PMID: 17470749.
(8) Scott TF, Frohman EM, De Seze J, Gronseth GS, Weinshenker BG; Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of American Academy of Neurology. Evidence-based guideline: clinical evaluation and treatment of transverse myelitis: report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2011 Dec 13;77(24):2128-34. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31823dc535. Epub 2011 Dec 7. PMID: 22156988.
(9) Seifert T, Enzinger C, Ropele S, Storch MK, Strasser-Fuchs S, Fazekas F. Relapsing acute transverse myelitis: a specific entity. Eur J Neurol. 2005 Sep;12(9):681-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2005.01007.x. PMID: 16128868.
(10) Kim KK. Idiopathic recurrent transverse myelitis. Arch Neurol. 2003 Sep;60(9):1290-4. doi: 10.1001/archneur.60.9.1290. PMID: 12975297.
(11) Borchers AT, Gershwin ME. Transverse myelitis. Autoimmun Rev. 2012 Jan;11(3):231-48. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2011.05.018. Epub 2011 May 18. PMID: 21621005.
