Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatric Neurology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare, progressive neurological complication of measles infection.
• It predominantly affects children and adolescents, leading to severe neurological deficits and often death.
• Recognizing SSPE is challenging due to its varied and sometimes bizarre clinical presentations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical features and outcomes of SSPE cases diagnosed at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.
• To compare these findings with international literature on SSPE.
• To emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and suggest improvements in case identification.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 14 SSPE cases diagnosed over an 8-year period.
• Analysis of clinical presentations, diagnostic methods, treatment approaches, and patient outcomes.
• Comparison of Saudi Arabian SSPE cases with previously published data.

Main Results:

• Clinical features and outcomes in the 14 Saudi Arabian SSPE cases were consistent with global reports.
• Therapeutic interventions led to disease arrest in one patient for 2.5 years and survival for 2-7 years in four others.
• A significant number of cases (unspecified) were initially misdiagnosed due to atypical presentations.

Conclusions:

• SSPE cases in Saudi Arabia exhibit similar characteristics to those reported worldwide.
• The study suggests that SSPE may be underdiagnosed in Saudi Arabia and other tropical regions.
• Establishing national SSPE registries is recommended to enhance early detection and management.