title: Polyarteritis nodosa with central nervous system involvement mimicking meningoencephalitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a patient who had polyarteritis nodosa with central nervous system involvement mimicking infectious meningoencephalitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric intensive care unit of a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 9-yr-old boy with prolonged fever, headache, decreased level of consciousness, neck stiffness, and papilledema.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed pleocytosis and a high protein level. After neurologic deterioration resulted from the initial treatment with antibiotic, the combination of clinical and laboratory findings with neuroradiologic features led to suspected systemic vasculitis. The patient was treated subsequently with corticosteroid, which resulted in great improvement. Biopsy of a skin lesion confirmed the diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Critical care physicians must recognize neurologic manifestation patterns of systemic vasculitides because appropriate diagnosis and therapy result in significantly improved morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil. carlotti@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paula De Carvalho Panzeri Carlotti
authors.forename: Virgínia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Paes Leme Ferriani
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanuri Caldas
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Célia Cervi
authors.forename: Gecilmara
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pileggi
authors.forename: Cássia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Antônio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carlos Dos Santos
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010488:Polyarteritis Nodosa / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy