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Pavuluri H, Kv V, Thomas B, Vilanilam GC, Nair P, Narasimhaiah DA, Poyuran R, Menon RN. Clinical Reasoning: A Teenager With Chronic Meningitis-Does Occam's Razor Apply? Neurology 2023; 100:828-835. [PMID: 36746637 PMCID: PMC10136020 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000206783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A 14-year-old girl presented with subacute onset headache, fever, and vomiting and was managed initially with antibiotics for suspected bacterial meningitis. Her symptoms further evolved over the next few weeks with systemic signs and symptoms favoring chronic meningitis with raised intracranial pressure. After the etiologic workup was unrevealing, she was started on empirical antituberculous therapy. After a period of partial improvement, symptoms recurred with a new-onset focal seizure. Her imaging findings evolved from features suggestive of focal leptomeningitis to multifocal heterogeneous enhancing cortical and subcortical lesions with hemorrhagic foci, leading to brain biopsy that confirmed diagnosis. Our case highlights the utility of diagnostic biopsy in patients with "chronic meningitis" in uncertain cases rather than confining the approach to the law of parsimony. The decision to initiate empirical therapy in chronic meningitis should be considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account factors, such as clinical examination findings, immune status, recent exposures, and potential risks of treatment. Atypical MRI features should lower the threshold for meningocortical biopsy when indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harini Pavuluri
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Vysakha Kv
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Bejoy Thomas
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - George C Vilanilam
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Prakash Nair
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Deepti A Narasimhaiah
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Rajalakshmi Poyuran
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Ramshekhar N Menon
- From the Department of Neurology (H.P., V.K.V., R.N.M.), Department of Imaging Sciences & Interventional Radiology (B.T.), Department of Neurosurgery (G.C.V., P.N.), and Department of Pathology (D.A.N., R.P.), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
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