| Title | An elderly patient with Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis and transient episodes of brainstem dysfunction. | | Author(s) | Roos RP, Soliven B, Goldenberg F, Badruddin A, Baron JM | | Institution | Department of Neurology, Mail Code 2030, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. rroos@neurology.bsd.uchicago.edu | | Source | Arch Neurol 2008 Jun; 65(6):821-4. | | MeSH | Aged, 80 and over
Brain Stem
Encephalitis
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate
Prednisone
Syndrome
| | Abstract | BACKGROUND: Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is a rare inflammatory, demyelinating disease that generally has a good prognosis.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the course of a patient with severe BBE and multiple medical complications.
DESIGN: Case report.
SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENT: An 81-year-old woman with BBE who fully recovered. The patient had transient and very frequent episodes of brainstem dysfunction during the recovery phase.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical and biochemical evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging.
CONCLUSIONS: Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis is a potentially reversible syndrome that needs early diagnosis (facilitated by magnetic resonance imaging) and prompt aggressive and supportive treatment. Frequent episodes of transient brainstem dysfunction occurred in our patient during recovery, possibly due to ephaptic transmission. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Case Reports
Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 18541805 |
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