[A case of Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis during pregnancy]

Here we present a case of 23-year-old woman with Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) during 13 weeks of pregnancy. After symptoms of the upper respiratory tract infection, she developed somnolence, marked disturbance of extraocular eye movements, cerebellar ataxia, hyperreflexia and spasticity of the lower limbs. An electroencephalogram revealed slow waves and brainstem auditory evoked potential disclosed prolongation of III-V interpeak intervals. Serum IgG anti-GQ1b antibody was detected. Plasma exchanges (PE) were performed four times. Although no patient with BBE during pregnancy has ever been reported, in the literatures the pregnant patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome had four sessions of plasmapheresis with safe. Neurological symptoms gradually improved after the PE. No serious adverse effects were noted. Although no definite therapy for BBE has been established, PE may be one of the selections even if the patients is pregnant.