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Intern Med
. 2023 Nov 13.
doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.2751-23. Online ahead of print. A Case of Autoimmune Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Astrocytopathy Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Masateru Tajiri 1 , Ken Takasone 1 , Minori Kodaira 1 , Akio Kimura 2 , Takayoshi Shimohata 2 , Yoshiki Sekijima 1 3
Affiliations
We herein report the first case of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A 23-year-old man experienced fatigue, a fever, and headache 14 days after the resolution of COVID-19. He was severely disoriented and admitted to our hospital. On admission, the patient exhibited disorientation, headache, neck stiffness, myoclonus of both upper limbs, dysuria, and pyramidal signs. A blood examination revealed hyponatremia, and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed lymphocytic pleocytosis. The CSF test results were positive for anti-GFAPα antibodies. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy, followed by oral prednisolone, which quickly ameliorated his neurological abnormalities.
Keywords: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy; coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); encephalomyelitis.
. 2023 Nov 13.
doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.2751-23. Online ahead of print. A Case of Autoimmune Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Astrocytopathy Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Masateru Tajiri 1 , Ken Takasone 1 , Minori Kodaira 1 , Akio Kimura 2 , Takayoshi Shimohata 2 , Yoshiki Sekijima 1 3
Affiliations
- PMID: 37952950
- DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.2751-23
We herein report the first case of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A 23-year-old man experienced fatigue, a fever, and headache 14 days after the resolution of COVID-19. He was severely disoriented and admitted to our hospital. On admission, the patient exhibited disorientation, headache, neck stiffness, myoclonus of both upper limbs, dysuria, and pyramidal signs. A blood examination revealed hyponatremia, and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed lymphocytic pleocytosis. The CSF test results were positive for anti-GFAPα antibodies. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy, followed by oral prednisolone, which quickly ameliorated his neurological abnormalities.
Keywords: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy; coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); encephalomyelitis.