Recurrent opticomyelitis associated with anti-DNA antibody.

Two patients had frequent attacks of acute myelitis and optic neuritis. One patient lacked any other organ involvement whereas the other developed systemic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus 14 years after the onset. Both patients developed antinuclear and antidouble strand DNA antibodies after the onset of neurological involvement. These patients, whose neurological manifestations were indistinguishable from multiple sclerosis, were thus considered to have systemic lupus erythematosus related collagen disease.