This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (24)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Neurology, Other  • Nutritional and Metabolic Disorders  • Malabsorption Syndromes  • Gastrointestinal Diseases  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Neeraj Kumar, MD; Kathleen M. McEvoy, MD; J. Eric Ahlskog, PhD, MD

Arch Neurol. 2003;60:1782-1785.

Background  Ataxic myelopathy due to copper deficiency has been described in ruminant animals and is called swayback. Neurological manifestations due to inherited copper deficiency secondary to the failure of intestinal copper absorption is well recognized as Menkes disease. The neurological consequences of acquired copper deficiency in humans are not well described.

Objective  To report 2 cases where patients developed a myelopathy with copper deficiency after gastrointestinal surgery.

Patients  Two patients developed a myelopathy many years after gastrointestinal surgery. Both had severe copper deficiency, which was the likely cause of the myelopathy.

Conclusions  Acquired copper deficiency may present as a myelopathy. Gastrointestinal surgery and resulting decreased copper absorption may be causative.

From the Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Denture cream: An unusual source of excess zinc, leading to hypocupremia and neurologic disease
Nations et al.
Neurology 2008;71:639-643.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Copper deficiency: an unusual case of myelopathy with neuropathy
Bertfield et al.
Ann Clin Biochem 2008;45:434-435.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Copper Deficiency Myelopathy (Human Swayback)
Kumar
Mayo Clin Proc. 2006;81:1371-1384.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Severe Ataxia, Myelopathy, and Peripheral Neuropathy Due to Acquired Copper Deficiency in a Patient With History of Gastrectomy
Tan et al.
JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2006;30:446-450.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Copper Deficiency as Cause of Unexplained Hematologic and Neurologic Deficits in Patient with Prior Gastrointestinal Surgery
Wu et al.
J Am Board Fam Med 2006;19:191-194.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

"Myelodysplasia," Myeloneuropathy, and Copper Deficiency
Kumar et al.
Mayo Clin Proc. 2005;80:943-946.
ABSTRACT  

Copper deficiency myeloneuropathy and pancytopenia secondary to overuse of zinc supplementation
Rowin and Lewis
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2005;76:750-751.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A controlled study of peripheral neuropathy after bariatric surgery
Thaisetthawatkul et al.
Neurology 2004;63:1462-1470.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Neurological Complications of Bariatric Surgery
Berger
Arch Neurol 2004;61:1185-1189.
FULL TEXT  

Copper deficiency myelopathy produces a clinical picture like subacute combined degeneration
Kumar et al.
Neurology 2004;63:33-39.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Myelopathy due to copper deficiency
Prodan et al.
Neurology 2004;62:1655-1656.
FULL TEXT  

Copper Deficiency Myelopathy
Kumar et al.
Arch Neurol 2004;61:762-766.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Myelopolyneuropathy Due to Copper Deficiency or Zinc Excess?--Reply
Hedera and Brewer
Arch Neurol 2004;61:605-605.
FULL TEXT  

Myelopolyneuropathy Due to Copper Deficiency or Zinc Excess?
Kumar and Ahlskog
Arch Neurol 2004;61:604-605.
FULL TEXT