Parkinsonism induced by sepsis: a case report.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease that appears essentially as a sporadic condition with no identifiable cause. Parkinsonism is used for syndromes where the aetiolobgy is known such as Parkinsonism due to stroke, infection, neuroleptic drugs and toxic agents. Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonism present with the tetrad of tremor at rest, slowness of voluntary movement (bradykinesia), rigidity and a characteristic disturbance of gait and posture. A report of Parkinsonism induced by sepsis is rare. This report aims to create awareness of Parkinsonism as a manifestation of sepsis. METHOD: The case note of a patient with Parkinsonism induced by sepsis managed in the medical unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and a review of the literature on the subject with Medline search was used. RESULT: A 71-year-old Nigerian male presented with Parkinsonism on a background of Gram negative sepsis which resolved with antibiotic therapy. Antiparkinoinian drugs were not used. CONCLUSION: Parkinsonism is a rarely reported neurological complication of sepsis. There is a need for physicians to be aware of this clinical manifestation.