Human immunodeficiency virus-associated pure motor lumbosacral polyradiculopathy.

BACKGROUND

Neuromuscular disease is a common manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, but isolated and severe pathology confined to the motor roots or anterior horn cells are not a recognized clinical entity.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the novel clinical presentation of human immunodeficiency virus-related polyradiculopathy manifesting as isolated severe motor symptoms confined to the legs.

DESIGN

A case series comprising 4 patients identified prospectively during a 6-month period.

SETTING

Patients were seen in the Department of Neurology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. This is an 800-bed teaching hospital, with approximately 5000 patients seen annually in the Department of Neurology.

PATIENTS: Patients were identified by their unique presentation with a severe isolated motor neuropathy in the lower limbs. All were Xhosa-speaking African women.

RESULT: Early human immunodeficiency virus infection may be associated with pure motor lumbosacral polyradiculopathy.

CONCLUSION

It remains unclear whether this clinical syndrome should be regarded as a variant of the Guillain-Barre syndrome or whether it represents a unique disorder associated with early human immunodeficiency virus infection.