Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome: A Rare Complication in COVID-19

Anwar J Alnass; Rahaf A Alamer; Hend H Alamri; Azzah A Alharthi; Majd A Assad; Mohammed K Al Sedran; Dunya A Bu-Izran; Bayan F Mirza; Amwaj A Almalki; Malak Alshammari

doi:10.7759/cureus.18426

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome: A Rare Complication in COVID-19

Cureus. 2021 Oct 1;13(10):e18426. doi: 10.7759/cureus.18426. eCollection 2021 Oct.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
² College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, SAU.
³ College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, SAU.
⁴ College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, SAU.
⁵ Internal Medicine, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama, BHR.
⁶ College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, SAU.
⁷ College of Medicine, Umm Al Qura University, Mecca, SAU.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a broad spectrum of manifestations. Neurological complications are not uncommon in patients with COVID-19. We report the case of a middle-aged man who presented with a cough and fever. He had a decreased oxygen saturation and required supplementary oxygen therapy. During his stay, he developed an unexplained seizure. Computed tomography of the brain revealed vasogenic edema located posteriorly. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated subcortical white-matter hyperdensities, in keeping with the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, an exceedingly rare manifestation in COVID-19. This condition should be kept in mind when encountering unexplained neurological manifestations that developed in patients with COVID-19.

Keywords: case report; covid-19; encephalopathy; posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (pres); seizure.

Publication types

Case Reports
Retracted Publication