Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis With Atypical Features

Salehi, Hamid R.; Delgado, Eunice; Wolf, Steven M.; McGoldrick, Patricia E.; Moshé, Solomon L.

doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2005.04.009

« Previous Next »Pediatric Neurology
Volume 33, Issue 4 , Pages 280-282, October 2005

Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis With Atypical Features

Hamid R. Salehi, MD
- Department of Neurology, Pediatrics and Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
Eunice Delgado, MD
- Department of Division of Child Neurology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, New York, New York
Steven M. Wolf, MD
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Medical Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York
Patricia E. McGoldrick, MSN, NP
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Medical Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York
Solomon L. Moshé, MD
- Department of Neurology, Pediatrics and Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Neuroscience, Pediatrics and Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Communications should be addressed to: Dr. Moshé; Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Department of Neurology, K316; 1410 Pelham Parkway; South Bronx, NY 10461.

Received 23 February 2005; accepted 4 April 2005.

The incidence of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis may be rising. This report describes three patients identified in New York City with atypical features including age of onset, prolonged prodrome, and lack of specific electroencephalographic changes. The diagnosis was confirmed with the identification of measles antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid. Awareness of the possibility that the clinical presentation of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis may be changing may increase its timely diagnosis.