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Tabes dorsalis

MedGen UID:
21065
•Concept ID:
C0039223
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonym: Syphilitic myelopathy
SNOMED CT: Syphilitic posterior spinal sclerosis (315826004); Tabes dorsalis (315826004); Tabetic neurosyphilis (315826004)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0005977

Definition

A form of neurosyphilis characterized by slowly progressive degeneration of the spinal cord. Signs and symptoms include pain, ataxia, loss of coordination, personality changes, blindness, urinary incontinence, dementia, and degeneration of the joints. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVTabes dorsalis

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Historical review: suspension therapy for the treatment of tabes dorsalis.
Weiner MF, Silver JR
Eur Neurol 2014;72(3-4):163-72. Epub 2014 Sep 6 doi: 10.1159/000360620. PMID: 25228352
Penicillin and penicillin-malaria in the treatment of tabes dorsalis.
PACKER H, WONG YT
Ann Intern Med 1949 Jul;31(1):96-104. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-31-1-96. PMID: 18134811
On the treatment of tabes dorsalis with artificial fever (hyperthermia treatment).
BOAS J
Acta Psychiatr Neurol 1946;21(1-3):39-55. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1946.tb07265.x. PMID: 20297100

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

John Goodsir (1814-1867) and his neurological illness.
Macintyre I, Gardner-Thorpe C, Demetriades AK
J Med Biogr 2023 Feb;31(1):65-74. Epub 2021 Jun 14 doi: 10.1177/09677720211021573. PMID: 34125623
The early history of the knee-jerk reflex in neurology.
Lazar JW
J Hist Neurosci 2022 Oct-Dec;31(4):409-424. Epub 2022 Jan 7 doi: 10.1080/0964704X.2021.1980965. PMID: 34995173
Neurosyphilis: Still prevalent and overlooked in an at risk population.
Ramachandran PS, Baird RW, Markey P, Singleton S, Lowe M, Currie BJ, Burrow JN, Price RN
PLoS One 2020;15(10):e0238617. Epub 2020 Oct 7 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238617. PMID: 33027255Free PMC Article
Hereditary sensory neuropathy type I.
Auer-Grumbach M
Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008 Mar 18;3:7. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-7. PMID: 18348718Free PMC Article
Syphilis: uncommon presentations in adults.
Dourmishev LA, Dourmishev AL
Clin Dermatol 2005 Nov-Dec;23(6):555-64. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2005.01.015. PMID: 16325063

Diagnosis

Imaging features of neurosyphilis.
Corrêa DG, de Souza SR, Freddi TAL, Fonseca APA, Dos Santos RQ, Hygino da Cruz LC Jr
J Neuroradiol 2023 Mar;50(2):241-252. Epub 2023 Jan 11 doi: 10.1016/j.neurad.2023.01.003. PMID: 36641134
Neurosyphilis.
Chow F
Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2021 Aug 1;27(4):1018-1039. doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000982. PMID: 34623102
Neurosyphilis.
Gonzalez H, Koralnik IJ, Marra CM
Semin Neurol 2019 Aug;39(4):448-455. Epub 2019 Sep 18 doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1688942. PMID: 31533185
Neurosyphilis in patients with HIV.
Hobbs E, Vera JH, Marks M, Barritt AW, Ridha BH, Lawrence D
Pract Neurol 2018 Jun;18(3):211-218. Epub 2018 Feb 24 doi: 10.1136/practneurol-2017-001754. PMID: 29478035
Neurosyphilis.
Berger JR, Dean D
Handb Clin Neurol 2014;121:1461-72. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-4088-7.00098-5. PMID: 24365430

Therapy

Neurosyphilis: Still prevalent and overlooked in an at risk population.
Ramachandran PS, Baird RW, Markey P, Singleton S, Lowe M, Currie BJ, Burrow JN, Price RN
PLoS One 2020;15(10):e0238617. Epub 2020 Oct 7 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238617. PMID: 33027255Free PMC Article
Neurosyphilis.
Gonzalez H, Koralnik IJ, Marra CM
Semin Neurol 2019 Aug;39(4):448-455. Epub 2019 Sep 18 doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1688942. PMID: 31533185
Neurosyphilis.
Berger JR, Dean D
Handb Clin Neurol 2014;121:1461-72. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-4088-7.00098-5. PMID: 24365430
Neurosyphilis.
Simon RP
Arch Neurol 1985 Jun;42(6):606-13. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1985.04060060112021. PMID: 3890813
Neurosyphilis.
Luxon LM
Int J Dermatol 1980 Jul-Aug;19(6):310-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1980.tb00340.x. PMID: 7005130

Prognosis

Neurosyphilis: Still prevalent and overlooked in an at risk population.
Ramachandran PS, Baird RW, Markey P, Singleton S, Lowe M, Currie BJ, Burrow JN, Price RN
PLoS One 2020;15(10):e0238617. Epub 2020 Oct 7 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238617. PMID: 33027255Free PMC Article
Neurosyphilis.
Gonzalez H, Koralnik IJ, Marra CM
Semin Neurol 2019 Aug;39(4):448-455. Epub 2019 Sep 18 doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1688942. PMID: 31533185
Hereditary sensory neuropathy type I.
Auer-Grumbach M
Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008 Mar 18;3:7. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-7. PMID: 18348718Free PMC Article
Charcot foot in diabetes: farewell to the neurotrophic theory.
Chantelau E, Onvlee GJ
Horm Metab Res 2006 Jun;38(6):361-7. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-944525. PMID: 16823717
Syphilis: uncommon presentations in adults.
Dourmishev LA, Dourmishev AL
Clin Dermatol 2005 Nov-Dec;23(6):555-64. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2005.01.015. PMID: 16325063

Clinical prediction guides

Tabes dorsalis in the 19(th) century. The golden age of progressive locomotor ataxia.
Tatu L, Bogousslavsky J
Rev Neurol (Paris) 2021 Apr;177(4):376-384. Epub 2021 Jan 15 doi: 10.1016/j.neurol.2020.10.006. PMID: 33455832
Predictors of unfavorable outcome in neurosyphilis: Multicenter ID-IRI Study.
Ozturk-Engin D, Erdem H, Hasbun R, Wang SH, Tireli H, Tattevin P, Argemi X, Ouamara-Digue E, Gombos A, Lakatos B, Sırmatel F, Cag Y, Pekok AU, Senbayrak S, Balkan II, Gheno M, Uzun N, Kaya S, Cicek-Senturk G, Şengöz G, Tekin R, Çelen MK, Nayman-Alpat S, Ergen P, Şener A, Agalar C, Köse S, Inkaya AÇ, Kaptan F, Al-Majid F, Savasci U, Vahaboglu H
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2019 Jan;38(1):125-134. Epub 2018 Oct 27 doi: 10.1007/s10096-018-3403-7. PMID: 30368740
Hereditary sensory neuropathy type I.
Auer-Grumbach M
Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008 Mar 18;3:7. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-7. PMID: 18348718Free PMC Article
Symptomatic neurosyphilis.
Lee JB, Kim SC, Lee S, Whang KH, Choi IS
Int J Dermatol 1983 Dec;22(10):577-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1983.tb02129.x. PMID: 6662603
Neurosyphilis today.
Mapelli G, Pavoni M, Bellelli T, Baroncini W, Manente A, Di Bari M
Eur Neurol 1981;20(4):334-43. doi: 10.1159/000115257. PMID: 7274315

Recent systematic reviews

Neurosyphilis in Africa: A systematic review.
Marks M, Jarvis JN, Howlett W, Mabey DCW
PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 Aug;11(8):e0005880. Epub 2017 Aug 31 doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005880. PMID: 28859081Free PMC Article

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