Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion of the corpus callosum in childhood: a single-center experience


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Çelik H., Derinkuyu B. E., Aksoy E., Öztoprak Ü., CEYLAN N., Azapağasi E., ...More

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences, vol.52, no.2, pp.405-412, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 52 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3906/sag-2110-73
  • Journal Name: Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.405-412
  • Keywords: childhood, MERS, prognosis, treatment
  • Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

© 2022 TÜBİTAK.Background/aim: Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is a rare clinicoradiological syndrome that typically presents with central nervous system symptoms such as loss of consciousness, seizure, headache, and ophthalmoparesis. Materials and methods: Here, we highlight the characteristics of this syndrome together with the clinical and MRI findings of 6 pediatric patients with MERS. Results: Between January 2017 and October 2020, 6 patients with MERS (3 boys and 3 girls) presented to our center. The mean age was 122 ± 54.6 (min-max: 44-180) months. None of the patients had a chronic disease. In our study, infectious agents were detected in 4 patients (66.6%), while noninfectious causes (one seizure and the other hyponatremia) were detected in two patients. All of our cases were discharged without any sequelae after an average of 12.1 ± 7 (min–max: 4–20) days of hospitalization. In 1 patient (case 6), control MRI could not be performed, and the radiological recovery of our other patients was shown to be between 14 days and 2 months. Conclusion: MERS is an acute encephalopathy with good prognosis and should be considered by neurologists in differential diagnosis due to its variable clinical presentation and specific MRI findings.