title: Recurrent status epilepticus as the main feature of Hashimoto's encephalopathy.
abstract: Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) is a severe but treatable condition that rarely complicates Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Clinically it is characterized by progressive or relapsing symptoms, including tremor, myoclonus, stroke-like episodes, seizures, impairment of consciousness, and dementia. We describe a patient presenting with recurrent generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE), despite antiepileptic medications, who was successfully treated with methylprednisolone. Our observation confirms that the clinical spectrum of HE at presentation is heterogeneous and diagnosis is often difficult. This case highlights the crucial importance of antithyroid antibody measurement in patients presenting with otherwise unexplained episodes of GCSE with or without adjunctive signs of encephalopathy or thyroiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric and Anaesthesiological Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferlazzo
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raffaele
authors.forename: Ilenia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mazzù
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pisani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone