Eosinophilic vasculitis of the spinal cord associated with Churg-Strauss syndrome

Abstract

Eosinophilic vasculitis has been described as part of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), but it also affects the central nervous system in <10% of cases. However, spinal cord involvement in CSS has not been reported. We report a patient with myelopathic symptoms, with a two-year history of asthma. Laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis, with 31.7% eosinophils. A chest computed tomographic scan and radiography showed patchy bilateral areas of consolidation, predominantly involving the peripheral regions of the lower lobes. Spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed high-signal-intensity lesions at the C3-C5 and T1-T4 spinal levels on T2-weighted images. A microscopic evaluation revealed an eosinophil-rich inflammatory infiltrate with fibroid necrosis of a vessel wall, and granuloma formation in the small veins was not clearly visible. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of eosinophilic vasculitis of the spinal cord associated with CSS, and the patient responded well to steroids.