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

Authors: HALİL ÇELİK, BETÜL EMİNE DERİNKUYU, ERHAN AKSOY, ÜLKÜHAN ÖZTOPRAK, NESRİN CEYLAN, EBRU AZAPAĞASI, SUNA ÖZDEM, MELAHAT MELEK OĞUZ, DENİZ YÜKSEL

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: MERS, childhood, treatment, prognosis

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