Involvement of the central nervous system in Miller Fisher syndrome: a case report

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterised by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia. Reports on cerebellar ataxia and supranuclear oculomotor derangement in MFS suggested an additional involvement of the central nervous system (CNS), resembling Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE). In the present report, a patient with a monophasic acute illness, early recovery and specific clinical-laboratory findings suggested both intrinsic brainstem and peripheral nerve disease (MFS and BBE). In pons and medulla oblangata, blurred to discrete T2-lesions were revealed by cranial MRI, while involvement of peripheral nerves was detected with EMG. The CSF showed no increase in protein or cell content, such as occurs in brainstem encephalitis.     

A case of Miller Fisher syndrome: atypical findings and therapeutic considerations

The Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is generally considered to be a disease of the peripheral nervous system. In some cases contemporary involvement of the central nervous system has been described (CNS).We report a case in which it was possible to prove involvement of cranial nerves VII, VIII, IX and X and to exclude CNS involvement. We discuss the possible role of early plasmapheresis treatment on disease evolution.

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Sommario Paziente, di anni 19, con una polinevrite acuta idiopatica.Clinicamente oltre all'oftalmoplegia, all'areflessia ed all'atassia era presente un grave deficit, bilaterale e simmetrico, del VII-IX-X nervo cranico.Dissociazione albumino-citologica all'esame liquorale con aumento delle IgG liquorali; di norma T.C. Encefalica e R.M.N. encefalo-midollare; condotto uno studio neurofisiologico (EMG, PEV, BAER) indicativo di sofferenza del S.N.P. Trattamento combinato corticosteroideo e plasmaferesi, con completa remissione clinica dopo circa 3 mesi. Viene discusso il ruolo preminente dell'interessamento del S.N.P. in tale entità clinica.

     

Miller Fisher综合征14例报道

目的:分析14例Miller Fisher综合征的临床特点和预后。方法:回顾性分析1998年1月至2007年3月我院收治的14例Miller Fisher综合征患者,应用Microsoft Access 2003建立数据库,分析患者的各种症状、体征和各项检查和预后。结果:病前感染者11例,其中肠道感染8例,双侧动眼神经损害14例,眼内肌的损害7例,对光反射消失5例,共济失调9例,头晕7例,腱反射减低12例,肌力减退7例,周围神经损害5例,病理征3例,蛋白-细胞分离12例,影像学异常2例,肌电图改变7例。结论:Miller Fisher综合征临床症状复杂,可在经典的三联征基础上伴有其他体征,也可仅有其中的两联征,预后较好。     

Miller Fisher syndrome in infancy

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterized by the triad of ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. It is exceptional for infants to be involved. Two infants, aged 11 and 16 months, developed acute-onset MFS. Both patients had prodromal upper respiratory tract infection. Pupillary responses to light, strength and sensation modalities were preserved. One patient was lethargic for a day; the electroencephalogram disclosed slightly slow background activity that later became normal. The other received high-dose intravenous immunoglobulins for 5 consecutive days starting at once on admission; within the next 7 days he became asymptomatic. Increased cerebrospinal fluid protein content and delayed nerve conduction studies with prolonged distal latencies were encountered in both patients.     

Recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome: clinical and laboratory features

To present two patients with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) recurrence after 35 and 44 years and review of the literature on recurring MFS. All identified cases with recurrent MFS were evaluated. Age, gender, clinical features of first and recurrent MFS, course of disease, laboratory findings, therapy and outcome were transformed into tables. Twenty‐eight patients (16 men, 12 women; mean age at the first episode 34 years (range 13–57 years); mean age at the latest episode 47 years (range 21–66 years) with a total of 70 MFS episodes were identified. Twenty‐one patients had a single recurrence, five patients had two recurrences, one patient had four recurrences and one patient had seven recurrences. The mean interval between attacks was 9.45 years (3 months to 44 years). In 76% of the initial episodes and in 81% of the recurrent episodes, an infectious disease preceded MFS. Additional facial and bulbar symptoms and autonomic disturbances were frequent findings. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and electrodiagnostic findings were unspecific. If tested, autoantibodies against GQ1b had been positive in all episodes. In about half of the patients, immunotherapy was applied. The outcome was favourable in most patients. Recurrence of MFS is a rare quite uniform condition with a mostly favourable prognosis.     

Miller Fisher syndrome related to Orientia tsutsugamushi infection

Miller Fisher syndrome is typically associated with a preceding infection, especially with Campylobacter jejuni. We describe a patient with Miller Fisher syndrome following Orientia tsutsugamushi infection, which to our knowledge has not been previously reported.     

A case of recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome mimicking botulism

Abstract Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a rare and usually monophasic polyradiculoneuropathy characterised by ophthalmoplegia, decreased or absent tendon reflexes, and ataxia. The objective of this study was to report a case of recurrent MFS with a clinical presentation virtually indistinguishable from botulism. The patient was a young man with two episodes of increasing external ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, and ataxia with a long asymptomatic interval in between. The second episode occurred after consumption of rotten fish and was accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms and an anticholinergic syndrome. Very rarely, MFS can present with a recurrent course. The importance of this case of recurrent MFS lies not only in its long asymptomatic period and identical clinical presentation, but also in its instructiveness regarding the differential diagnosis of MFS, particularly life-threatening botulism.     

MRI findings of optic pathway involvement in Miller Fisher syndrome in 3 pediatric patients and a review of the literature

Background: Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a rare demyelinating condition which may have involvement of cranial nerves. There are a few case reports of optic pathway involvement in children. We describe 3 patients with optic pathway enhancement in pediatric patients with MFS. Case series: We retrospectively reviewed brain imaging findings in 17 pediatric patients with of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) meeting Brighton criteria who had brain MRIs performed during their acute illness. Cranial nerve enhancement was seen in 6/17 patients and optic nerve/chiasm enhancement was seen in 3 patients. Conclusion: Cranial nerve enhancement and optic pathway in particular, can be seen in patients with MFS. Imaging findings do not always correlate with clinical manifestations of cranial nerve involvement.     

The immunopathogenesis of Miller Fisher syndrome

Over the past decade, remarkable progress has been made in our understanding of the pathogenesis of Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), a clinical variant of Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS). MFS comprises the clinical triad of ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. It is associated with acute-phase IgG antibodies to GQ1b and GT1a gangliosides in over 90% of cases which are highly disease specific. Like GBS, MFS is a post-infectious syndrome following diverse infections, but particular attention has been paid to its association with Campylobacter jejuni enteritis. Serostrains of C. jejuni isolated from infected patients bear ganglioside-like epitopes in their lipopolysaccharide core oligosaccharides, which elicit humoral immune responses exhibiting molecular mimicry with GQ1b/GT1a gangliosides. These antibodies are believed to be the principal cause of the syndrome and physiological studies aimed at proving this have focused on the motor-nerve terminal as a potential site of pathogenic action. This review describes these findings and formulates a pathogenesis model based on our current state of knowledge.     

Localization of the pathological process in Miller Fisher syndrome

A 64 year old woman died at the third attack of MFS. Histological examination demonstrated segmental demyelination and axonal swelling of the peripheral nerves studied, oculomotor included. In the C.N.S. only mild chromatolytic changes and rare pyknosis of the nerve cells in the midbrain were found without signs of primary inflammation. We reviewed the findings in all the 4 anatomoclinical cases of MFS and in 2 cases of GBS with ophthalmoplegia or ataxia. With one exception, they appear to be concordant with those of our case. As the histological examination showed CNS involvement consequent upon peripheral nerve impairment, we are bound to change our opinion on the nosological position of MFS. Any small CT enhancements in the brain in MFS may be due, as in some cases of demyelinating polyneuropathy, to focal rupture of the blood-brain barrier.

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Sommario Una donna di 64 anni è deceduta al terzo attacco di M.F.S. L'esame istologico ha fatto osservare una demielinizzazione segmentale e rigonfiamento assonale dei nervi periferici, inclusi gli oculomotori. Nel S.N.C. si sono osservate solo modeste alterazioni cromatolitiche e rare picnosi dei neuroni dei nuclei mesencefalici, senza segni di flogosi primaria. Abbiamo rivisto i reperti di tutti e 4 i casi anatomo-clinici di M.F.S. e di 2 casi di G.B.S. con oftalmoplegia o atassia. Tali reperti, con una unica eccezione, appaiono concordanti con quelli del nostro caso. Pertanto noi cambiamo l'opinione precedentemente espressa sulla posizione nosologica della M.F.S., dal momento che il controllo istologico ha mostrato che il SNC è coinvolto come conseguenza di una sofferenza dei nervi periferici. Eventuali piccole aree di ipercontrasto alla T.C. sono dovute — come è stato osservato anche in casi di polineuropatia demielinizzante — a rottura focale della BEE.

     

Limb motor nerve dysfunction in Miller Fisher syndrome

Typical Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) lacks limb muscle weakness, but some patients may unpredictably progress to severe Guillain‐Barré syndrome. The compound muscle action potential (CMAP) scan is a recently developed non‐invasive, painless, and reproducible method for detecting early changes in motor nerve excitability. This technique was used to monitor subclinical limb motor nerve dysfunction during disease course in typical MFS. Three Miller Fisher patients with preserved limb muscle strength and normal routine nerve conduction studies were included. Frequent serial CMAP scanning of the median nerve was performed during acute phase and follow‐up and was related to clinical course and outcome. All patients showed an abnormal increase in the range of stimulus intensities at the day of hospital admission, indicating reduced motor nerve excitability already at the earliest stage of disease. Median nerve dysfunction progressed in parallel or even before clinical deterioration, and improved with clinical recovery. Our study shows that typical MFS is a more general neuropathy, affecting peripheral motor nerves even in patients with preserved limb strength and conduction velocity. CMAP scanning is a sensitive technique for early detection of subclinical motor nerve dysfunction and for monitoring disease activity in immune‐mediated neuropathies.     

Miller Fisher syndrome: brief overview and update with a focus on electrophysiological findings

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), a variant of the Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), is characterized by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia. The annual incidence is around one patient per one million population. The antiganglioside anti‐GQ1b IgG antibody has a role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome, especially of ophthalmoplegia. The presence of this antibody in the serum can be identified in over 80% of the patients, peaking in the first week, whereas albuminocytological dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) appears later. The most consistent electrophysiological findings in MFS are reduced sensory nerve action potentials and absent H reflexes. More variability is seen with F waves and various investigations involving cranial structures. Although there are usually no abnormalities in MFS by routine neuroimaging, in a few cases, contrast enhancement of nerve roots and signs of central nervous system involvement were described supporting the hypothesis of an anti‐GQ1b‐syndrome, a continuum involving GBS, MFS, and Bickerstaff’s brainstem encephalitis. Owing to the lack of randomized trials, treatments used for GBS (intravenous immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis) are usually applied, although from retrospective analyses, the outcome was similar between treated and untreated subjects. The outcome of MFS is usually good with case fatality of < 5%. In the few autopsy cases, macroscopic abnormalities were generally not seen in the nervous system. Microscopic examination of the peripheral nervous system (including cranial nerves) showed segmental demyelination with minimal perivascular infiltration with normal spinal cord and brain stem.     

Bickerstaff脑干脑炎和Miller Fisher综合征免疫调节治疗疗效的对比研究

目的探讨免疫调节治疗在Bickerstaff脑干脑炎(BBE)和Miller Fisher综合征(MFS)中的疗效。方法回顾性分析湘雅二医院和湘雅医院2003~2013年符合BBE(32例)和MFS(67例)诊断标准的患者临床资料,比较免疫调节治疗对两组患者症状的改善及预后的影响。结果与对照组对比,IVIg联合激素治疗可以加快BBE患者意识障碍的恢复(P<0.05);IVIg、激素单独治疗在BBE患者意识障碍、眼外肌麻痹及共济失调症状的开始改善时间上无明显差异(P>0.05)。各免疫调节治疗措施与对照组相比,对MFS患者眼外肌麻痹和共济失调症状的恢复均无明显加速作用(P>0.05)。两组平均随访时间均>1 y,未见复发病例,绝大多数的BBE(66%)和MFS(98%)患者症状完全缓解,9例BBE患者死亡。结论 IVIg联合激素治疗可加快BBE患者意识障碍的恢复,改善早期出现意识障碍患者的预后。免疫治疗措施对MFS患者疾病病程及预后无明显影响,可能与该病的具有较好的自然病程有关。     

Single-fiber electromyography shows terminal axon dysfunction in Miller Fisher syndrome: a case report

We studied a patient with ophthalmoparesis and pupillary areflexia 2 weeks after a viral syndrome. Miller Fisher syndrome was suspected but GQ1b antibodies were not detected. To define neuromuscular involvement we performed electrodiagnostic studies. Single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG) in the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) showed abnormal jitter and axonal blocking, suggesting terminal axon dysfunction. Subsequent GQ1b antibody titers were elevated to borderline levels. Clinical symptoms gradually resolved. SFEMG may help characterize neuropathies associated with antibodies to neuronal ganglioside and identify involvement of the terminal axon and neuromuscular junction.     

Electrophysiological evidence by single fibre electromyography of neuromuscular transmission impairment in a case of Miller Fisher syndrome

Abstract Miller Fisher syndrome is an autoimmune neuropathy characterised by ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia, with minimal if any limb weakness, and in the majority of cases by high titres of IgG anti-GQ1b ganglioside antibodies. In vitro electrophysiological experiments have demonstrated that these antibodies induce a transmission blockade at neuromuscular junction either pre- or post-synaptically. We report the case of a 63-year-old man with MFS that shows blood serum negative for anti-GQ1b but presents an impairment of neuromuscular transmission detected by single fibre electromyography. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first case in the literature using jitter technique and suggests that other antibodies may be involved in the function of motor end plates by bindings to the synaptic membranes.     

Visual impairment in anti-GQ1b positive Miller Fisher syndrome

Autoimmune neuropathies such as the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), the Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), and chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP) have conventionally been considered diseases exclusively of the peripheral nervous system. In the last decades, however, several reports of CNS involvement in peripheral neuropathy have challenged this view. We describe a patient with anti-GQ1b positive MFS who--apart from the classical features--also presented with reversible loss of visual acuity suggesting CNS involvement.     

Prediction of disease progression in Miller Fisher and overlap syndromes

Patients with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) may have a relatively mild clinical course or progress to Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) with limb weakness (MFS‐GBS overlap syndrome). Other variants in this spectrum are GBS with ophthalmoparesis and Bickerstaff's Brainstem encephalitis (BBE). To compare the clinical course of MFS and overlap syndromes and to identify predictors of disease progression. In a prospective study of 170 patients with GBS and variant forms, 37 (22%) had a MFS, MFS‐GBS overlap syndrome, ophthalmoplegic GBS or BBE. The clinical, serological, and electrophysiological features were compared. Twenty‐three patients presented with MFS, of which 10 (43%) developed limb weakness (MFS‐GBS overlap syndrome). All these transitions occurred in the first week after onset of symptoms. There were no differences in the clinical, electrophysiological and serological features at entry between MFS and MFS‐GBS. Twelve patients had ophthalmoplegic GBS and the disease severity at nadir and outcome was worse than in the patients with a MFS‐GBS overlap syndrome. No early predictors for progression from MFS to MFS‐GBS overlap syndrome were found. All transitions occurred in the first week. This finding implicates that all patients with MFS need careful monitoring for at least 1 week.