title: [Cerebral infarct in a young adult, as the presenting form of myeloencephalopathic syndrome with lactic acidosis and cerebral ischemia].
abstract: We report a 26-year-old male who developed aphasia due to an ischemic cerebral infarction caused by MELAS (myoencephalophatic syndrome with lactic acidosis and cerebral ischemia). The most common causes of cerebral infarction in young patients were ruled out by laboratory investigations. The diagnosis of MELAS was suspected on the basis of past history of epilepsy, migraine and progressive sensory deafness, and increased resting blood lactic acid. Cerebral computed tomography showed bilateral caudate-putamen-pallidal calcification and nuclear magnetic resonance scan disclosed a left ischemic parietal-temporal-occipital infarction. The diagnosis was confirmed by muscular biopsy, which was characteristic of mitochondrial myopathy showing "red disarrayed" fibers in the histologic modified trichromic Gomori stain. Our patient showed that MELAS should be considered in young adults with cerebral infarction. The diagnosis should initially be suspected on a clinical basis, and confirmed by the presence of "red disarrayed" fibers with modified trichromic Gomori stain histologic muscle study.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Quinta de Salud La Alianza, Hospital Central, Barcelona.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arboix
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Massons
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliveres
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Titus
mesh_terms: D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D013577:Syndrome
vernacular_title: Infarto cerebral en un adulto joven, como forma de presentación de un MELAS (síndrome encefalomiopático con acidosis láctica e isquemia cerebral).