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Hemorrhagic cerebral infarct and ulcerative colitis. A case report
D Karacostas1, J Mavromatis, K Artemis
1B' Department of Neurology, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Ahepa Hospital, Greece.
Functional Neurology
|April 1, 1991
Summary
A young woman with ulcerative colitis experienced a stroke, which later became hemorrhagic. Treatment with prednisone improved both her neurological and bowel symptoms, suggesting a link between ulcerative colitis and cerebrovascular events.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
Background:
- Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
- Cerebrovascular complications are rare in UC patients.
- The underlying mechanisms linking UC and stroke remain unclear.
Observation:
- A young, normotensive woman with UC presented with a cerebral ischemic infarct.
- Neurological deterioration occurred one week later, with hemorrhagic transformation and white matter edema.
- Extensive investigations ruled out other stroke causes, indicating a cerebral vasculitic process.
Findings:
- The patient showed significant improvement in neurological and bowel function after prednisone therapy.
- This case suggests a potential association between ulcerative colitis and cerebrovascular complications.
- Cerebral vasculitis may be the underlying mechanism connecting UC and stroke.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering cerebrovascular complications in UC patients.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the pathophysiology of UC-associated stroke.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, potentially including immunosuppressants, may improve outcomes.