Aseptic meningitis as initial presentation of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

Background: It is well known that upper respiratory infections or vaccinations are etiologic factors in the majority of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) cases. However, it is less well known that aseptic meningitis may be an initial manifestation of ADEM.

Objectives: To compare the clinical and laboratory findings between aseptic meningitis associated with ADEM (AM-ADEM) and isolated aseptic meningitis (AM-alone), and to determine possible predictive factors for progression to ADEM.