Poster Abstract

2677 Cerebellar dysfunction post COVID infection

Abstract

Background

  • Since the emergence of SARS COVID-2 which resulted in a global pandemic infecting million, post-COVID encephalitis is an increasingly recognized entity.

  • The current literature reports cases with brainstem, limbic and cerebellar involvement with good correlation with radiological findings.

  • We report a case of post-COVID seronegative autoimmune encephalitis with predominant cerebellar dysfunction in a 19-year-old university student with radiological findings involving the temporal lobe and thalamus.

Investigations and treatment progress

  • Serum and CSF investigations confirmed to diagnosis of COVID upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). However extensive serum and CSF screen for autoimmune encephalitis was negative for any antibodies.

  • MRI scan showed FLAIR hyperintensities within the temporal lobe, thalamus, pons and cerebellar region.

  • He was treated with pulse methylprednisolone and prolonged steroid wean with excellent response.

Goals and learning points of this presentation

  • Neuroimaging is an important tool in the diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis as there may be more extensive involvement beyond the initial clinical presentation.

  • Antibodies may be negative in COVID related encephalitis. Hence the diagnosis can be made based on clinical presentation and neuroimaging.

  • Steroids can be an effective immunosuppression therapy which should be considered when managing patient’s with COVID related encephalitis.

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