Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: Incidence and associated factors in a pediatric critical care population

Shashi Raj, Philip Overby, Amichai Erdfarb, H. Michael Ushay

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

AbstractBackground Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome may occur frequently and be underrecognized in children and young adults admitted to a pediatric critical care unit. Methods Patients <21 years of age with the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome were reviewed in this retrospective cohort study conducted over a 30-month period. Results There were 2588 admissions to pediatric critical care unit, 226 neurology service consultations, and 10 patients diagnosed with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (incidence of 1 in 259 pediatric critical care unit admissions, 0.4%). The majority of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome patients (9/10) presented with generalized tonic and or clonic seizures. Apart from hypertension and cytotoxic medication use, anemia, a previously unreported risk factor, was found in all 10 (100%) patients with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. One-year follow up available in eight patients showed no residual neurological deficits attributable to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome with significant resolution of white matter signal abnormalities on neuroimaging. Conclusion Our case cohort includes an estimation of incidence of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in children and young adults with 1-year follow-up and anemia as a potential previously unreported risk factor.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)335-339
Number of pages5
JournalPediatric Neurology
Volume49
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2013

Keywords

  • Keywords
  • children
  • eye
  • infant
  • posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Neurology
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Clinical Neurology

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