title: [Lethargic form of acute intestinal intussusception in an infant].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intussusception encephalopathy, a misleading form in which neurological symptoms are obvious, is classic but rarely described.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 21 month-old infant was admitted because he had suffered from fluctuating consciousness and apathy for a few hours. Vomiting occurred soon afterwards. Search for dehydration, meningitis, encephalitis, poisoning... was negative; the abdomen was tender leading to ultrasonography that showed a sausage-shaped tumor. The ileocolic intussusception was successfully reduced with a gas enema.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A striking degree of lethargy associated with vomiting may overshadow to a considerable extent the classical intestinal manifestations. A possible endogenous opioid poisoning by massive secretion of endorphins during pain's paroxysm is one of the hypotheses explaining this type of presentation.
authors: Centre médical infantile, hôpital pour Enfants, Nice, France.
authors: M M
authors: MM
authors: d'Escrienne
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Velin
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Filippigh
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Steyaert
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Valla
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Perelman
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Dupont
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D007223:Infant; D007443:Intussusception / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012894:Sleep Stages
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins
vernacular_title: Forme léthargique d'invagination intestinale aiguë du nourrisson.