title: Recurrent seizure and sustained encephalopathy associated with dimethylsulfoxide-preserved stem cell infusion.
abstract: We report the case of a patient who received two infusions of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) cryopreserved autologous peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) after myeloablative chemotherapy for a relapsing lymphoma. A 49-year-old man presented an episode of tonic-clonic seizure over a few minutes after the start of each infusion and developed a profound and sustained but reversible encephalopathy with coma after the second infusion. The patient's neurological condition correlated well with the electrophysiological findings (electroencephalogram and multimodality evoked potentials) and, to a lesser extent, with the radiological abnormalities (magnetic resonance imaging). Severe but reversible neurological complications may occur with the infusion of PBPCs cryopreserved with DMSO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Cliniques St-Luc, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bauwens
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hantson
authors.forename: Pierre-François
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Laterre
authors.forename: Lucienne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michaux
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Latinne
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Tourtchaninoff
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cosnard
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hernalsteen
mesh_terms: D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012008:Recurrence; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide