Table 1 Predisposing factors in 42 patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

	All, n = 42	Children, n = 12	Young adults, n = 21	Elderly adults, n = 9	p Values
Age at onset, years	32.8 (4–90)	8.8 (4–14)	33.9 (16–49)	62.3 (50–90)	—
Male	17 (40.5)	6 (50.0)	7 (33.3)	4 (44.4)	0.62
Predisposing factors
Prior upper respiratory tract infection	21 (50.0)	6 (50.0)	11 (52.4)	4 (44.4)	0.92
Prior acute gastroenteritis	3 (7.1)	1 (8.3)	1 (4.8)	1 (11.1)	0.81
Prior immunisation	1 (2.4)	0 (0.0)	1 (4.8)	0 (0.0)	1.00
No identifiable predisposing factor	15 (35.7)	2 (16.7)	7 (33.3)	6 (66.7)	0.37
Interval between initial events and symptoms, days	6.2 (0–30)	7.5 (1–30)	6.5 (0–21)	3.5 (0–7)	0.55

Values are n (%), except for age and interval (mean (range)).