Back pain without radiculitis as an initial manifestation of Lyme disease: two cases

Posted on May 13, 2007 by Maurice Preter MD
 
Presse Med. 2007 Jan;36(1 Pt 1):61-3. Epub 2006 Dec 11. Related Articles, Links
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[Back pain without radiculitis as an initial manifestation of Lyme disease: two cases]

[Article in French]

Chanier S, Lauxerois M, Rieu V.

Service de Medecine, Centre Hospitalier, Thiers. sevchanier@voila.fr

INTRODUCTION: The most frequent neurological expression of Lyme disease (borreliosis) during its secondary phase is meningoradiculitis, but atypical presentations occur. Lyme disease must be considered especially in endemic areas and during the summer (May-October). CASES: We report cases of two patients with unusual clinical presentations of neuroborreliosis. Both had acute inflammatory back pain, resistant to the usual analgesic treatment. Both patients responded negatively to questions about tick bites and erythema migrans. Laboratory tests revealed an inflammatory process in only one patient. Lyme disease was confirmed by lymphocytic meningitis and serological tests positive for Borrelia in blood (both cases) and cerebrospinal fluid (one case). Antibiotic treatment led to the disappearance of pain and the normalization of laboratory tests. DISCUSSION: Inflammatory back pain, even without radiculitis, may be related to Lyme disease in endemic areas.

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PMID: 17261450 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Maurice Preter, MD

About Maurice Preter MD

Maurice Preter, MD is a European and U.S. educated psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychopharmacologist, neurologist, and medical-legal expert in private practice in Manhattan. He is also the principal of Fifth Avenue Concierge Medicine, PLLC, a medical concierge service and health advisory for select individuals and families.
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