Steroid-responsive recurrent encephalopathy associated with subacute thyroiditis.
BACKGROUND
Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with subacute thyroiditis has, to our knowledge, not been reported previously.


METHODS
A 49-year-old woman was found collapsed and brought to our institution with decreased mentality, dysarthria, and gait disturbance. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and angiography were normal but blood tests revealed thyroid-autoantibody-negative thyrotoxicosis. Results of a (99m)technetium-pertechnetate scan were compatible with the thyrotoxic phase of subacute thyroiditis. 14-3-3 proteins were detected in cerebrospinal fluid. Her mental status began to improve from the day following steroid administration. Recurrent encephalopathy was found 2 months after the initial admission, which was also effectively treated with steroid.


CONCLUSIONS
We speculate that steroid-responsive recurrent encephalopathy associated with subacute thyroiditis is a subtype of Hashimoto's encephalopathy, and consider that steroid treatment should not be delayed in suspected patients.
Chung
Yun Jae
YJ
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Kwang-Yeol
KY
Ahn
Jihyun
J
Ha
Sam-Yeol
SY
Youn
Young Chul
YC