Bilateral chorea/ballismus: detection and management of a rare complication of non-ketotic hyperglycaemia

An Unusual Movement Disorder-Case of Diabetic Striatopathy

Nonketotic hyperglycemia chorea-ballismus (NKH-CB), a rare metabolic syndrome, arises as a secondary condition to hyperglycemia. It is marked by acute or subacute hemichorea-hemiballismus, hyperglycemic state, and unique reversible striatal abnormalities on neuroimaging. This case presents a 70-year-old Hispanic man with a significant medical history of cerebral vascular accidents, hypertension, bipolar disease, and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Notably, the patient was experiencing large-amplitude involuntary movements on his left side for the past 3 weeks. With resolution of hyperglycemia, the amplitude and frequency of the involuntary arm movements were absent. This case highlights the need for careful monitoring and tight control of blood glucose levels in patients with a history of diabetes, to prevent serious neurological complications such as NKH-CB syndrome. Prompt diagnosis through neurological evaluation, blood glucose level assessment, and neuroimaging techniques are critical in managing the symptoms effectively.

Hemichorea-hemiballismus due to diabetic striatopathy a serious complication of uncontrolled diabetes

We report the case of a man in his mid-80s with diabetes mellitus who presented to the emergency department with a 1-day history of right-sided choreiform movements and falls. Laboratory tests revealed blood glucose of 597 mg/dL. Non-contrast CT imaging of his head demonstrated a faint hyperdensity involving the left lentiform nucleus and brain MRI showed a hyperintensity in the left basal ganglia on T1-weighted images. These lesions are typical of diabetic striatopathy. Symptoms of hemichorea/hemiballismus did not resolve with glycaemic control and several pharmacological agents were tried with eventual improvement with risperidone. He was discharged to a rehabilitation facility and had mild persistent arm chorea at 6-month follow-up.

Relationship Between Diabetic Chorea and Timing of MRI Findings: A Systematic Review with Case Reports

Background

Diabetic chorea is a rare complication of diabetes mellitus for which head MRI is the most common diagnostic imaging modality. Cases have been reported where CT and/or MRI findings are inconsistent or clinical symptoms and imaging findings do not appear simultaneously. We aimed to compile the cases in which imaging findings appeared on MRI retests and to examine in a systematic review whether temporal differences in the appearance of imaging findings correlate with clinical characteristics.

Case Presentation

An 80-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus came to a hospital with abnormal movements of the left upper and lower extremities. Two days after the first visit, his symptoms flared up, and his head MRI showed an old cerebral infarction and no new lesion. On day 14, he retested T1-weighted imaging and showed a high signal in the right putamen, which was considered diabetic chorea. Blood glucose was controlled with insulin, and the involuntary movements disappeared.

Methods

PubMed and ICHUSHI were searched to identify patients with diabetic chorea who had undergone MRI retests. Patients grouped by the temporal change in the presence/absence of imaging findings were compared on age, sex, duration of diabetes mellitus, blood glucose level, HbA1c level, side of involuntary movement, time to first MRI, and follow-up MRI.

Results

Of the 64 cases analyzed, 43 (67.2%) were female. The mean age was 69.0 years. 16 (25.0%) had worsening findings upon MRI retesting, 37 (57.8%) had improvement, and 10 (15.6%) had unchanged findings. There were no significant differences in age, sex, mean blood glucose level or HbA1c at onset among the groups.

Conclusion

There was no association between the pattern of appearance of imaging findings over time and clinical characteristics, including glucose levels. If initial MRI findings are negative, MRI retesting after a certain time may help diagnose diabetic chorea.

Non-ketotic Hyperglycemia Hemichorea-Hemiballismus Syndrome: A Case Report

Non-ketotic hyperglycemia is an uncommon cause of hemichorea-hemiballismus syndrome that has been associated with high levels of glucose that are not well controlled. Lesions typically occur in the globus pallidus and putamen, which can be identified via computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These lesions generally correspond with ballistic and choreiform movements on the contralateral side of the observed imaging findings. Additionally, amelioration of hyperglycemia is the first-line treatment and usually reduces and resolves these hyperkinetic movement symptoms. This case report demonstrates a case of non-ketotic hyperglycemia hemichorea-hemiballismus syndrome in an individual with a history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus and a highly elevated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), who subsequently improved with insulin therapy.

Consideration for Hemiballismus in the Differential Diagnosis: A Rare Case of Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State

We present a case of a 58-year-old male with a past medical history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus presenting to the emergency department with a complaint of abnormal and uncontrollable right arm jerking motions occurring since the afternoon on the day prior to presentation. Arm movements such as these may be consistent with either focal seizures or hemiballismus, a movement disorder classified as a choreiform subtype consisting of involuntary violent movements of an extremity with wide amplitudes. Although oftentimes focal seizures and hemiballismus are associated with neurologic etiologies such as strokes, the second most common cause of hemiballismus appears to be non-ketotic hyperosmolar hyperglycemia. While symptomatic treatment in managing focal seizures and hemiballismus may consist of benzodiazepines and dopamine receptor antagonists, respectively, it is important to treat the underlying cause, which in this case was the non-ketotic hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state associated with this patient’s long-standing history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.