http://web.archive.org/web/20010208102606/http://www.radsci.ucla.edu/telemed/zhuling/
The SOS E-mail Message from Peking University
Hi,
This is Peking University in China, a place of those dreams of freedom and democracy. However, a young, 21-year old student has become very sick and is dying. The illness is very rare. Though they have tried, doctors at the best hospitals in Beijing cannot cure her; many do not even know what illness it is. So now we are asking the world -- can somebody help us?
Here is a description of the illness:
The young woman -- her name is Zhu Ling -- is a student in the chemistry department. On DEC. 5, 1994, Zhu Ling felt sick in her stomach. Three days later, her hair began to fall out and within two days she was completely bald. She entered the hospital, but the doctors could not find the season for her illness. However, after she was in the hospital for a month, she began to feel better and her hair grew back. Zhu Ling went back to school in February, but in March her legs began to ache severely, and she felt dizzy. She entered XieHe(Harmony) Hospital - the most famous hospital in China. On March 15, her symptoms worsened. She began facial paralysis, central muscle of eye's paralysis, self-controlled respiration disappeared. So she was put on a respirator.
The doctors did many tests for many diseases including anti-> H2V, spinal cord puncture, NMR, immune system, chemical drug intoxication ANA,ENA,DSONA,ZG and Lyme, but all were negative, except for Lyme disease(ZGM(+)).
The doctors now think that it might be acute disseminated encephalomyelitis(ADEM) or lupus erythematosus(LE), but the data from the tests did not support this conclusion.
The doctors are now treating Zhu Ling with broad-spectrum antibiotic of cephalosporin, anti-virus drug, hormone, immun- oadjuvent, gamma globulin intravenous injection and have given her plasma exchange(PE) of 10,000 CCs. But Zhu Ling has not responded -- she reamers in a vegetative state, sustained by life support. encephalomyelitis(ADEM) or lupus erythematosus(LE), but the data from the tests did not support this conclusion.
The doctors are now treating Zhu Ling with broad-spectrum antibiotic of cephalosporin, anti-virus drug, hormone, immun- oadjuvent, gamma globulin intravenous injection and have given her plasma exchange(PE) of 10,000 CCs. But Zhu Ling has not responded -- she reamers in a vegetative state, sustained by life support.
If anyone has heard of patients with similar symptoms -- or have any ideas as to what this illness could be, please contact us. We are Zhu Ling's friends and we are disparate to help her.
This is the first time that Chinese try to find help from Internet, please send back E-mail to us. We will send more crystal description of her illness to you.
our email is: caiqq@mccux0.mech.pku.edu.cn
Thank you very much
Peking University
April 10th, 1995