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Updated: Oct 10, 2025
Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload
Published on: March 14, 2017
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome with cardiac involvement during treatment for iron deficiency anemia:
Kenya Oguchi1, Kazuhiro Fukushima1, Akinori Nakamura2
1Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Matsumoto Medical Center, 2-20-30 Muraimachi-minami, Matsumoto, 399-8701, Japan.
Background:
The diagnosis and therapy of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) tends to focus on neurological symptoms, but less attention has been paid the occurrence of extracerebral lesion such as the myocardium.
Case Presentation:
A 40-year-old woman taking iron supplements for iron deficiency anemia due to menorrhagia had suffered from a thunderclap headache and seizure. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed high-intensity lesions bilaterally in the cerebellar and cerebral hemispheres. Her symptoms once subsided with steroids and anticonvulsant therapy; however, she experienced a severe headache again while bathing and was transferred to our hospital. Based on the clinical course and imaging data, she was diagnosed as having RCVS triggered by a rapid improvement of anemia. At the same time, she had cardiac involvement revealed by electro and echocardiographs despite without chest symptoms. After the administration of a calcium channel blocker and nitrite, her cerebral and cardiac involvements were rapidly improved.
Conclusions:
The case presented RCVS with transient myocardial damage. With RCVS, we should always pay attention to the complication of extracerebral lesions.
