Parainfectious Brown-Séquard syndrome associated with COVID-19
Lily Ye Chen1, Rachel Diem-Trang Truong2, Sampathkumar Shanmugham2,3
1Department of Medicine, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA Lchen639@gmail.com.
BMJ Case Reports
|October 6, 2023
Summary
This case study details a patient with Brown-Séquard syndrome, a type of acute myelitis, linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Prompt treatment with high-dose steroids led to rapid symptom resolution, suggesting an immune-mediated response.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Acute myelitis involves spinal cord inflammation, potentially causing Brown-Séquard syndrome with distinct neurological deficits.
- Brown-Séquard syndrome results from unilateral spinal cord lesions affecting motor and sensory pathways.
Observation:
- A case report of an adult male presenting with Brown-Séquard syndrome and a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test.
- The patient experienced rapid neurological symptom resolution following high-dose methylprednisolone treatment.
Findings:
- This presentation adds to the documented neurological complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection.
- The rapid response to glucocorticoids supports the hypothesis of an immune-mediated mechanism in COVID-19-related neuropathogenesis.
Implications:
- Highlights a novel neurological manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Suggests that high-dose glucocorticoids can be an effective treatment for certain cases of COVID-19-associated acute myelitis.
- Contributes to understanding the role of immune responses in SARS-CoV-2-induced neurological conditions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:57Viral Recombination
23.5K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
23.5K
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
300
The pathophysiology of pneumonia involves the following steps:
300
01:26Stages of Infection
56.8K
Stages of infection describe what happens to a susceptible host once a pathogen invades the human body. The stages of infection are incubation, prodromal, illness, stage of decline, and convalescence. The incubation stage is the period from exposure to a pathogen until symptoms start. The infected person is unaware of impending illness as the pathogens grow and multiply within the body. The duration may vary depending on the type of infection. The incubation period of measles averages ten to...
56.8K
01:25Immunodeficiency Diseases
963
Immunodeficiency disorders are conditions in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. The immune system comprises a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful invaders. When this system is deficient or not functioning properly, it leaves the body susceptible to infections, diseases, or other complications.
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
963
01:25Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis
11
Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...
11
01:28Pulmonary Tuberculosis II
246
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While its primary impact is on the lungs, leading to pulmonary tuberculosis, it can also affect various other organs, a condition referred to as extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
246