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Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Massive Pontine Hemorrhage by Dual Injection of Autologous Blood
Published on: May 29, 2021
Sepsis or sympathetics? Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity after pontine stroke
Pratibha Surathi1, Jessica Sher2, Nadeem Obaydou2
1Neurology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA pratibha.surathi@gmail.com.
Abstract:
A 64-year-old man from nursing home with a pontine stroke 3 months ago, ventilator-dependent, presented with episodic fever, tachycardia and tachypnoea occurring several times a day. He was evaluated for sepsis and pulmonary embolism and was treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics. But these episodes persisted. Due to the episodic nature and typical symptoms of sympathetic overactivity, in the setting of prior brain injury, paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity was considered. His antibiotics were discontinued, and he was treated symptomatically with baclofen and bromocriptine, which resulted in a partial reduction of these episodes.
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