[Case report: Spontaneous periodic hypotermia in a geriatric patient]

Shapiro syndrome is a rare condition with fewer than 100 cases reported, initially characterized by the triad of hypothermia, hyperhidrosis, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. The diagnostic triad is no longer systematic, and the condition is now more broadly referred to as spontaneous periodic hypothermia. An 86-year-old patient presented with coma, hypothermia, and sweating. The differential diagnoses of hypothermia were ruled out and a diagnosis of a variant of Shapiro syndrome was made. Brain imaging revealed small corpus callosums. Treatment was symptomatic, with external warming and management of complications. The outcome was favorable, with cessation of hypothermia and gradual incomplete neurological recovery. This case highlights the importance of considering this syndrome when hypothermia and hyperhidrosis occur together. Elderly patients are at increased risk of serious complications and require appropriate management.