Case Report
A diagnostic dilemma: a case report
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* Corresponding author: David M Comer dcomer@doctors.org.uk
1 Level 8 Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AB, N Ireland, UK
2 Immunology Day Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6AB, N Ireland, UK
Cases Journal 2009, 2:99 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-99
Published: 29 January 2009Abstract
Background
A seventy nine year old lady presented with acute bilateral foot drop and paraesthesia of her lower limbs as a presenting feature of Wegener's Granulomatosis (WG).
Case presentation
There was no evidence of pulmonary involvement and her renal function was normal. WG can masquerade as very diverse pathology. It is recognised that neuropathy can occur early and often in the absence of more classical pulmonary and renal findings, often resulting in a delay in diagnosis.
Conclusion
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) testing was particularly useful in this case permitting early diagnosis.