scholarly journals A Complicated Case of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) Secondary to Severe Hypercalcemia

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A175-A176
Author(s):  
Sura Alqaisi ◽  
Aisha Rasool Saand ◽  
Neel Tapryal ◽  
Mahmoud Alwakeel ◽  
Bassel Akbik

Abstract Background:PRES is a rare but severe condition with highly variable neurologic manifestations ranging from headaches to seizures, coma and radiologic findings of focal vasogenic edema1. It is commonly caused by hypertension, chronic renal failure, preeclampsia / eclampsia and immunosuppressants. We are reporting a rare presentation of PRES caused by severe hypercalcemia. Clinical Case: A 29- year old female presented with frontal headaches, visual disturbance, emesis and confusion. Her medical history was relevant for hyperthyroidism treated with partial thyroidectomy (on methimazole) and complicated by iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism. The resulting hypocalcemia was managed with calcitriol and calcium supplementation. On presentation, the patient was awake but disoriented. Physical examination was remarkable for right-sided hemianopsia. Admission blood pressure (BP) was 192/127 suggestive of hypertensive emergency. Initial laboratory tests revealed severe hypercalcemia (calcium: 18.7 mg/dL, ionized: 2.1 mmol/L), acute kidney injury (creatinine of 2.5 mg/dL, (baseline = <1), elevated 1, 25-dihydoxy vitamin D: 65.1 pg/mL, PTH <1 pg/mL, and negative urine toxicology. Head CT without contrast revealed symmetric bilateral parieto-occipital parenchymal hypoattenuation and MRI confirmed the aforementioned findings to be consistent with PRES. The patient was admitted to the ICU and started on Nicardipine intravenous (IV) infusion, IV fluids and calcitonin. Other causes of severe hypercalcemia such as multiple myeloma and hypercalcemia of malignancy were ruled out. Home calcium and calcitriol supplements were discontinued due to suspicion of intoxication. After correction of serum calcium levels her encephalopathy, hypertension and AKI resolved. She was subsequently transferred to the medical floor in stable condition. Calcium supplementation was resumed when serum calcium level normalized and calcitriol was held until further follow up of calcium levels as outpatient. Conclusion: Severe hypercalcemia is a rare cause of PRES secondary its effect on vascular smooth muscle vasoconstriction and increased vascular resistance leading to severe hypertension. Thus, it is imperative to establish a prompt diagnosis and rule out hypercalcemia in all patients presenting with PRES to prevent its devastating neurologic complications. Reference: Fugate JE, Rabinstein AA. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: clinical and radiological manifestations, pathophysiology, and outstanding questions. Lancet Neurol. 2015 Sep;14(9):914–925. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00111-8. Epub 2015 Jul 13. Erratum in: Lancet Neurol. 2015 Sep;14(9):874. PMID: 26184985.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayawardane Pathiranage Roneesha Lakmali ◽  
Kanapathipillei Thirumavalavan ◽  
Danapala Dissanayake

Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic spirochetal disease caused by Leptospira interrogans. The clinical presentation ranges from an asymptomatic state to a fatal multiorgan dysfunction. Neurological manifestations including aseptic meningitis, spinal cord and peripheral nerve involvement, cranial neuropathies and cerebellar syndrome are well recognized with varying frequencies among patients with this disease. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a very rare occurrence in leptospirosis and only two cases are reported in the medical literature up to now. We report a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a patient with leptospirosis with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury. Case presentation A 21 year-old male presented with fever and oliguric acute kidney injury with rhabdomyolysis. A diagnosis of leptospirosis was made and he was being managed according to the standard practice together with regular hemodialysis. The clinical condition was improving gradually. On day 8 of the illness, he developed headache and sudden painless complete bilateral vision loss followed by several brief generalized tonic clonic seizure attacks. Examination was significant for a Glasgow Coma Scale of 14/15, blood pressure of 150/90 mmHg and complete bilateral blindness. The findings of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were compatible with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. He was managed with blood pressure control and antiepileptics with supportive measures and standard treatment for leptospirosis and made a complete recovery. Conclusion Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, though very rare with leptospirosis, should be considered as a differential diagnosis in a patient with new onset visual symptoms and seizures, especially during the immune phase. Optimal supportive care together with careful blood pressure control and seizure management would yield a favourable outcome in this reversible entity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 338
Author(s):  
Ana Ponciano ◽  
Vera Vieira ◽  
José Leite ◽  
Célio Fernandes

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is an encephalopathy that can be clinically characterized by headache, altered mental status and/or seizures. Neuroimaging demonstrates usually reversible bilateral subcortical vasogenic occipital-parietal edema. Exact pathophysiology remains unclear but is commonly associated with hypertension, renal failure, sepsis and use of immunosuppressive therapy. Its development in the setting of severe hypercalcemia is extremely rare. The authors report a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a normotensive patient with severe hypercalcemia as the only identifiable cause.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Y. H. Koh

Heat stroke is a life threatening, multisystem disorder characterized by severe hyperthermia (core body temperature > 41.1°C) with central nervous system dysfunction and/or other end organ damage. Neurological complications, such as disturbances of consciousness, convulsion, profound mental change, disorientation, or even prolonged coma, were present in almost all cases of exertional heat stroke (EHS). We present a case of EHS with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute oliguric kidney injury in a 20-year-old healthy marathon runner, who developed status epilepticus on Day 4 of his admission. The patient was managed in ICU with renal replacement therapy and aggressive seizure control. He made a full recovery after 2 weeks of ICU stay. Diagnosis of EHS with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) secondary to acute kidney injury was made.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanno Gomes Pereira Sarmento ◽  
Eduardo Feliz Martins Santana ◽  
Felipe Favorette Campanharo ◽  
Edward Araujo Júnior ◽  
Flavia Ribeiro Machado ◽  
...  

HELLP syndrome is a complication of severe forms of preeclampsia and occurs mainly in the third trimester of pregnancy. In extreme cases, it may evolve unfavorably and substantially increase maternal mortality. We present the case of an 18-year-old pregnant woman who was admitted to our emergency service in her 31st week, presenting with headache, visual disturbances, and epigastralgia, with progression to a severe condition of HELLP syndrome followed by posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and hepatic infarction. We highlight the approach taken towards this patient and the case management, in which, in addition to the imaging examinations routinely available, we also used the sidestream dark field (SDF) technique to evaluate the systemic microcirculation.


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