Paroxysmal hypothermia in two patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Hypothermia is a rare condition in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Only 17 patients have been reported so far.

Case report: We report 2 patients with a long history of MS who presented with severe acute hypothermia associated with thrombocytopenia and hepatic cytolysis. Both patients presented with an aggravation of their neurological status, psychomotor slowing and confusion. There was no clinical or biological sign of infection. Magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) revealed bilateral preoptic T(2)-weighted lesions for 1 patient. The neurological status of one patient was worse after the episode of hypothermia than before, which suggests that hypothermia could be a factor of poor prognosis concerning disease progression.