Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The clinical features and outcome of disease in 14 cases of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) diagnosed at the King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh during an 8-year period are similar to those described elsewhere. Therapy was associated with arrest of deterioration for 2.5 years in one patient, and with survival after diagnosis for 2-7 years in four others. Many of the cases had initial misdiagnoses because of the frequently bizarre modes of presentation. It is thought that many more cases of SSPE occur in Saudi Arabia and also in many other tropical countries than are currently recognized. The establishment of national SSPE registries is advocated to improve early identification and management of cases.