scholarly journals Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome due to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-145
Author(s):  
Maythem Abdulhassan Al-Kaisy

Objective: During the late 2019, a group of patients had unexplained chest infections in Wuhan which turned out to be the new pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). New neurological symptoms have been reported in COVID-19 patients. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a new neurological finding and is associated or caused by COVID-19. Case Presentation: A 32-year-old lady, with no medical background had COVID-19 infection and needed mechanical ventilation. After surviving the intensive care, she started to have multiple seizures that required general anesthesia to be aborted. The patient turned out to have PRES. Conclusion: PRES is a neurological syndrome causing seizures, headaches, and blurred vision. It is usually associated with high blood pressure, renal failure, and other risk factors. The patient in this case had nearly normal blood pressure, but still had a diagnosis of PRES. The new reported neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection need further research and attention from the academic society to predict and prevent the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients.

BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Dietz ◽  
Zarmina Mufti ◽  
Muhammed Yousaf ◽  
Randal Brown ◽  
Christopher Counts ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) represents a transient change in mental status with associated vasogenic edema of cortical and subcortical brain structures. It is often attributed to multifactorial etiology including hypertension and altered hemodynamics and disruption of vessel integrity. Patients with autoimmune disease and certain immune modulator therapies are at greater risk. Case presentation A 54-year-old female with past medical history of well-controlled multiple sclerosis on interferon-beta since 2013, presented with witnessed tonic colonic seizure. She also was noted to demonstrate left gaze deviation and left-sided hemiparesis. MRI fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence showed hyperintensity of the subcortical U fibers, concentrated in the occipital, parietal lobes and frontal lobes. Systolic blood pressure was 160 mmHg on arrival. The patient was started on seizure prophylxis and Interferon beta was discontinued. The patient’s mentation, seizures and hemiapresis significantly improved in next 72 h with tight blood pressure control, and had notble improvement on MRI imaging and inflammatory markers. Lumbar puncture CSF results were devoid of infectious and autoimmune pathology. Conclusions A middle-aged female with multiple sclerosis who was on chronic IFN-beta presented to the emergency room with a witnessed tonic-clonic seizure, with MRI T2 FLAIR imaging consistent with PRES. She had notable clinical improvement with decreased edema on imaging and improved inflammatory markers 72 h after cessation of IFN-beta therapy.


BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Butryn ◽  
Sabine Mewes ◽  
Eugen Feist ◽  
Oliver Beuing ◽  
Christian Müller ◽  
...  

Abstract Backround We describe one of the first cases of a Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) under tocilizumab as treatment of Giant cell arteritis (GCA). Case presentation A 65-year-old female with known GCA and treatment with Tocilizumab (TCZ) developed a convulsive epileptic seizure for the first time. MRI was suggestive of PRES and an associated left sided occipital hemorrhage. Extensive high blood pressure values were not detected. The patient recovered within a week and no further seizures occurred under anticonvulsive medication. Conclusion PRES during the treatment with Tocilizumab hasn’t been described in GCA so far. There are single reports of an association between TCZ and PRES in other entities. Thus, a link between interleukin-6 and the integrity of the vasculature could be considered. The clinical consequence should be a stringent blood pressure monitoring in the ambulant setting of patients receiving TCZ.


Author(s):  
Malyaban Das ◽  
Prajit Mazumdar ◽  
Divakar Kumar ◽  
Vaibhav Mathur

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a condition which is characterized by symmetric involvement of posterior white matter on brain imaging and neurological impairments such as seizures, altered mental status, headache, and visual disturbances. This entity has been classically described with hypertension, renal failure and eclampsia but it can also been seen in cases with normal blood pressure especially in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, chemotherapy and in patients with underlying autoimmune disease. Although PRES has been reported with several autoimmune disorders, association of Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is very rare, hence we report a case of Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a patient with underlying mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD).


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. e227132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indunil Deepthi Kumara Wijenayake Galagamage ◽  
Anjali Sujith ◽  
Ajith Kumara Kiringodage

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a cliniconeuroradiological syndrome characterised by a unique reversible pattern on imaging and total regression of clinical symptoms and signs. We describe an unusual case of PRES with isolated pontine involvement with coincidental acute ischaemic stroke in a 60-year-old man who presented with headache, unsteadiness of gait, blurred vision and elevated blood pressure. MRI scan revealed an expanded pons with diffuse T2 and Fluid attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensities and an acute infarct in the right temporal lobe. A diagnosis of PRES was considered most likely after exclusion of other differentials and the patient was started on antihypertensive treatment as for hypertensive encephalopathy. He became asymptomatic after controlling blood pressure and the follow-up MRI scan at 3 weeks showed complete resolution of the pontine high signals which confirmed the diagnosis of PRES.


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.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly Bates ◽  
Kyle Darpel ◽  
Nneka Amadife ◽  
Adam Dugan ◽  
Jessica D Lee

Introduction: Several theories exist regarding the pathogenesis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). One theory suggests that PRES occurs when systemic blood pressure exceeds the upper limit of cerebral autoregulation. Endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as an alternative pathogenesis to account for PRES outside the setting of acute hypertension. This mechanism has been implicated in other conditions associated with PRES including autoimmune diseases, cytotoxic medications, sepsis, and eclampsia. The purpose of this study was to determine if COPD, a disease known to cause endothelial dysfunction, has a causative association with the development of PRES. Methods: A single center retrospective, age-matched, case-control study was performed from January 2013 to June 2019 comparing patients discharged with a primary diagnosis of PRES to a control group with acute ischemic stroke. Demographics, medical comorbidities, initial blood pressure, and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. For categorical variables, p-values were calculated using χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests. For continuous variables, p-values were calculated using two-sample t-tests. The effect of COPD and acute hypoxic respiratory failure on PRES status was investigated using multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 94 PRES subjects and 109 control subjects were included for analysis. Mean age did not differ between the two groups; however, the PRES group was more likely to be female (78.7% vs. 49.5%, p<0.001). COPD was present in 26.6% (n=25) of cases and 11% (n= 12) of controls (odds ratio 4.12, p=0.003). Occurrence of hypertension did not differ significantly between the two groups (78.0% vs 86.2%). Among patients with PRES in the setting of COPD (n=25), 60% (n=16) did not meet criteria for hypertensive emergency. Controlling for hypertensive emergency status in a multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients with COPD were 3.21 times more likely to develop PRES (p= 0.004). Conclusions: To our knowledge, very few reports of PRES in the setting of COPD have been described in the literature and no association of PRES and COPD has been defined to date. Our data support the role of COPD as a risk factor in the development of PRES.


Author(s):  
Ji Y. Chong ◽  
Michael P. Lerario

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a clinical–radiographic syndrome of progressive headaches, blurred vision, confusion, and seizures in the setting of vasogenic edema on brain imaging, which is often localized to the posterior white matter. The symptoms are classically triggered by severe hypertension, pregnancy and the puerperium, or exposure to immunosuppressive medications. The symptoms can be reversible if the offending etiology is quickly removed, but permanent deficits can remain if strokes or hemorrhage complicate the clinical course.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. e229319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Gil ◽  
Filipa Serrazina ◽  
Miguel Pinto ◽  
Miguel Viana-Baptista

The posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinicoradiological syndrome characterised by a combination of headache, encephalopathy, seizures and visual disturbances, associated with high-intensity abnormalities on T2-weighted images affecting subcortical white and grey matter of the occipital and parietal lobes. Among other causes, PRES has been associated with the use of several medications including chemotherapeutic agents. Here we report a case of a 65-year-old patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung treated with cisplatin/vinorelbine. Following the second administration of vinorelbine, she was admitted to the hospital for a generalised seizure. Blood pressure was just slightly elevated and, except for drowsiness, she had a near-normal neurological examination. MRI corroborated the diagnosis. Vinorelbine-induced PRES has been reported only once in the literature, also in association with cisplatin. Our case underlines the role of vinorelbine and suggests that its association with cisplatin in this setting may enhance the risk of PRES.


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