title: Fatal encephalitis in a patient with refractory celiac disease presenting with myorhythmia and carpal spasm.
abstract: We report the case of a woman with refractory celiac disease who developed abnormal spontaneous movements of the extremities and face consistent with myorhythmia. Investigation led to a diagnosis of encephalitis, confirmed by postmortem examination. The movements were likely caused by nonparaneoplastic encephalitis associated with refractory celiac disease. Etiologic and diagnostic considerations and treatment options are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Elliot L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Dimberg
authors.forename: Sheila E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: Joel M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trugman
authors.forename: Russell H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Swerdlow
authors.forename: M Beatriz
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: T David
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.forename: Ted M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050824:Carpal Joints / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology