1/2. Scleroderma cerebritis, an unusual manifestation of progressive systemic sclerosis.A 42-year-old female with scleroderma experienced two exacerbations in which behavioral changes were the main clinical features. On both occasions she presented with paranoid delusions, perceptual aberrations, and disorientation. After treatment with corticosteroids, the patient's mental status returned to normal, and her electroencephalogram showed an increase in alpha wave frequency, which is consistent with a resolving delirium. Unlike systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma rarely involves the central nervous system. This case illustrates an unusual manifestation of progressive systemic sclerosis, primary cerebral involvement which presented as an acute organic brain syndrome. connective tissue diseases, notably systemic lupus erythematosus, often present neuropsychiatric symptoms. Despite the fact that there appears to be a clinical and pathological continuum among the connective tissue diseases, an organic psychosis rarely occurs in progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma. Described here is a patient with scleroderma in whom behavioral abnormalities were the main features of two exacerbations of the disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/2. Acute delirium, delusion, and depression during IFN-beta-1a therapy for multiple sclerosis: a case report.Adverse effects of interferon (IFN) treatment are common, and efforts to minimize these reactions are of considerable importance. IFN-beta-1a is an established therapy for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Its psychiatric side effects are debated and not yet fully established. The authors report here the case of a patient on IFN-beta-1a therapy for MS who developed acute delirium, delusion, and depression that ceased with treatment discontinuation. Although he had a history of recurrent major depressive disorder, his prior psychiatric illness had followed a course that was clinically independent of other signs of MS. This observation points out psychiatric vulnerability of patients taking IFN-beta-1a therapy for MS and suggests that IFN-beta-1a may induce or exacerbate preexisting psychotic symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.83333333333333keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |