Autoimmune thyroid encephalopathy presenting with epilepsia partialis continua

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2006 Jul;37(3):204-9. doi: 10.1177/155005940603700308.

Abstract

We report the first case of an autoimmune thyroid encephalopathy presenting with multifocal motor status epilepticus. A 37-year-old female patient was admitted with multifocal motor seizures intractable to intravenous status epilepticus treatments, asymmetrical quadriparesis, truncal ataxia and continuous semi-rhythmical jerks. Pathological signal alterations were detected in both precentral cortices in MRI examination. Autoimmune thyroiditis was diagnosed after radiological examinations of the thyroid gland and thyroid function tests. Seizures promptly ceased following intravenous steroid treatment. Immunohistochemistry studies showed mild to moderate neuronal staining with the plasma and CSF samples. Remarkably, autoimmune thyroiditis may present with migrating focal motor status epilepticus. We recommend anti-thyroid antibody screening for multifocal motor status epilepticus cases of unspecified cause.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Electroencephalography*
  • Encephalitis / complications*
  • Encephalitis / diagnosis*
  • Epilepsia Partialis Continua / complications*
  • Epilepsia Partialis Continua / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Graves Disease / complications
  • Graves Disease / diagnosis
  • Hashimoto Disease / complications*
  • Hashimoto Disease / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Rare Diseases / complications
  • Rare Diseases / diagnosis