Abstract
Background: Fulminant inflammatory demyelination is a possible presentation of inflammatory demyelinating disorders, thus representing a potential stroke mimic especially in younger patients. Aims of the study: To describe clinical and diagnostic pitfalls in a case of fulminant inflammatory demyelination presenting with stroke-like symptoms in an elderly patient. Methods: Case report and case-based review of the literature. Results: A 67-year-old woman, who accessed the emergency room as suspect stroke for hyperacute onset of rapidly worsening speech impairment and drowsiness, was later diagnosed with a huge brain inflammatory demyelination. Clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging tests did not allow to put a more specific diagnosis. Due to the rapidly deteriorating course, she received immunosuppression with benefit. Conclusion: This report is meant to highlight the diagnostic challenges connected with fulminant inflammatory demyelination, which sometime can resemble a stroke-in evolution and appear clinically unfitting for inclusion in any specific pathological entities within the broad-spectrum of inflammatory demyelinating disorders.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Brain and Behavior |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2020 |
Keywords
- ADEM
- fulminant inflammatory demyelination
- inflammatory demyelinating disorders
- tumefactive demyelinating lesions
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Behavioral Neuroscience