Rare Case of Posterior Reversible Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome Secondary to Acute Chest Syndrome

Abstract EN

We present a case of 29/m with a history of sickle cell disease who presented to the emergency department with sudden onset of chest, trunk, extremity, and back pain, consistent in quality and severity with the patient’s usual pain crises.

Soon after admission to the medical unit for acute chest syndrome (ACS), the patient developed sudden onset of hypertension associated with left sided hemiplegia, lethargy, dysarthria, aphasia, and left sided facial droop.

Neuroimaging revealed that on MRI Brain there was multifocal extensive signal abnormality and a small focal areas of hemorrhage compatible with posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome (PRES).

Patient was treated with levetiracetam and phenytoin and improved soon afterwards, with resolution seen on follow-up MRI two months later.