Nonketotic Hyperglycemic Hemichorea in an Elderly Male: A Case Report

Nonketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea is a rare complication of diabetes mellitus seen in the emergency department. It is most commonly reported in elderly women, predominantly of Asian race, with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Patients present with a triad of nonketotic hyperglycemia, hemichorea, and contralateral basal ganglia abnormality on imaging. Its exact pathophysiology is still not known. However, it has a very good prognosis with early diagnosis and treatment.

We report a case of hemichorea involving the right upper and lower limbs due to nonketotic hyperglycemia. The patient's symptoms resolved after normalization of blood glucose. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Nonketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea should be included in the differential of a patient presenting with chorea and high blood glucose levels. It has an excellent prognosis with both symptoms and imaging abnormalities typically resolving completely with restoration of normoglycemia.