A case series of dengue fever with altered consciousness and electroencephalogram changes in Sri Lanka.
We describe six serology-positive dengue patients presenting sporadically over 8 years, who lapsed into coma and showed generalized irregular slow waves in consecutive electroencephalograms (EEG) in the absence of any structural brain damage. The mean age was 41 years (range 16-65). All had fever, headache and vomiting for 3 days (range 2-4) on admission and developed coma after 24 h. Five patients developed generalized convulsions and two showed generalized paroxysmal spike-wave discharges in the EEG. All regained normal consciousness within 36 h. In two patients, slow waves in the EEG persisted for 6 and 18 months.
Kularatne
S A M
SA
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya University, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. samkul@sltnet.lk
Pathirage
M M K
MM
Gunasena
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003715:Dengue / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013188:Sri Lanka; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology