CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)

Background: Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE) is a very rare demyelinating disease with rapid fulminant inflammation of the white matter. Although the exact etiology is unknown, AHLE usually manifests post a viral or bacterial infection and less often seen post vaccination for measles or ra...

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Main Authors: Abeer Sabry Safan, Zeba Noorain, Mohamed A. Atta, Razna Thekkoth, Aasir M. Suliman, Abdalrazig Fadlelmula, Mohammed Abdelatey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-06-01
Series:eNeurologicalSci
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405650224000066
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author Abeer Sabry Safan
Zeba Noorain
Mohamed A. Atta
Razna Thekkoth
Aasir M. Suliman
Abdalrazig Fadlelmula
Mohammed Abdelatey
author_facet Abeer Sabry Safan
Zeba Noorain
Mohamed A. Atta
Razna Thekkoth
Aasir M. Suliman
Abdalrazig Fadlelmula
Mohammed Abdelatey
author_sort Abeer Sabry Safan
collection DOAJ
description Background: Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE) is a very rare demyelinating disease with rapid fulminant inflammation of the white matter. Although the exact etiology is unknown, AHLE usually manifests post a viral or bacterial infection and less often seen post vaccination for measles or rabies. AHLE has a very poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. Owing to the rarity of this entity there is not clear consensus on the proper line of management. In this report, we present a case of AHLE as a para-infectious sequel to COVID-19 in a young patient. Clinical presentation: We report a 30-year-old turkish patient with an initial presentation of upper respiratory tract infection due to COVID-19. Initially, she was admitted to the hospital with generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) and deterioration in her level of consciousness lapsing into a coma. An initial CT scan showed diffuse brain edema and an MRI head confirmed the suspicion of Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE). Despite prompt and diligent osmotic therapy and pulsed intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone, her condition rapidly depreciated and progressed into cerebral edema with gravid sequela of brainstem herniation. Conclusions: AHLE is a very rare entity and perhaps its fulminant debilitating course and high mortality should warrant further studies on disease pathophysiology and its optimal treatment parameters. Life-saving decompressive hemicraniectomy should be considered in the multidisciplinary approach of the management with tailored osmotic and immunotherapy.
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spelling doaj-art-1af9db9fdf5145aa85446d115f52d4a42025-08-20T02:05:52ZengElseviereNeurologicalSci2405-65022024-06-013510049910.1016/j.ensci.2024.100499CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)Abeer Sabry Safan0Zeba Noorain1Mohamed A. Atta2Razna Thekkoth3Aasir M. Suliman4Abdalrazig Fadlelmula5Mohammed Abdelatey6Department of Neurology, Neurosciences Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Corresponding author at: Neurology Department, Neurosciences Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.Department of Neurology, Neurosciences Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarDepartment of Emergency, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarDepartment of Medical intensive Critical care, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarDepartment of Medical intensive Critical care, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarBackground: Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE) is a very rare demyelinating disease with rapid fulminant inflammation of the white matter. Although the exact etiology is unknown, AHLE usually manifests post a viral or bacterial infection and less often seen post vaccination for measles or rabies. AHLE has a very poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. Owing to the rarity of this entity there is not clear consensus on the proper line of management. In this report, we present a case of AHLE as a para-infectious sequel to COVID-19 in a young patient. Clinical presentation: We report a 30-year-old turkish patient with an initial presentation of upper respiratory tract infection due to COVID-19. Initially, she was admitted to the hospital with generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) and deterioration in her level of consciousness lapsing into a coma. An initial CT scan showed diffuse brain edema and an MRI head confirmed the suspicion of Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE). Despite prompt and diligent osmotic therapy and pulsed intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone, her condition rapidly depreciated and progressed into cerebral edema with gravid sequela of brainstem herniation. Conclusions: AHLE is a very rare entity and perhaps its fulminant debilitating course and high mortality should warrant further studies on disease pathophysiology and its optimal treatment parameters. Life-saving decompressive hemicraniectomy should be considered in the multidisciplinary approach of the management with tailored osmotic and immunotherapy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405650224000066AcuteHemorrhagicLeukoencephalitisHurstDisease
spellingShingle Abeer Sabry Safan
Zeba Noorain
Mohamed A. Atta
Razna Thekkoth
Aasir M. Suliman
Abdalrazig Fadlelmula
Mohammed Abdelatey
CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)
eNeurologicalSci
Acute
Hemorrhagic
Leukoencephalitis
Hurst
Disease
title CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)
title_full CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)
title_fullStr CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)
title_full_unstemmed CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)
title_short CASE REPORT: Fulminant acute hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE): A rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation (COVID-19)
title_sort case report fulminant acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis ahle a rare and ruinous outcome with cerebral herniation covid 19
topic Acute
Hemorrhagic
Leukoencephalitis
Hurst
Disease
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405650224000066
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