Disseminated cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation manifesting as non-convulsive status epilepticus

Abstract

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation is a rare treatable encephalopathy in the elderly. Although cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation often manifests as seizures, the details have not been well documented. We describe a 70-year-old man with disseminated cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation manifesting as secondary non-convulsive status epilepticus, whose ictal electroencephalogram showed periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges. The cerebral microbleeds were disseminated, but rather obscure in the region where the magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalogram abnormalities were prominent. The symptoms ameliorated after the administration of corticosteroids in combination with an antiepileptic drug. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation should be taken into consideration when elderly patients present with progressive mental and cognitive decline with disseminated cortical and subcortical lesions. As some cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation patients might manifest as non-convulsive seizure, electroencephalograms are necessary for deciding the therapeutic strategy.