tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Eur J Neurol
. 2022 Jun 9.
doi: 10.1111/ene.15440. Online ahead of print.
Treatment of COVID-19-induced refractory status epilepticus by tocilizumab
Esra Kochan Kizilkilic[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rumeysa Unkun[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ugur Uygunoglu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sakir Delil[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Cigdem Ozkara[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 is a novel infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), in which, neurological complications have been increasingly recognized. Acute symptomatic epileptic seizures and status epilepticus (SE) is a frequently reported neurological complication associated with this infection. The nervous system damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 may be mediated by the immune system. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), an important component of the cytokine storm, is directly correlated with the severity of symptoms. Tocilizumab is an inhibitor of IL-6 receptors, which blocks IL-6-mediated signal transduction and is used in the treatment of COVID-19 and status epilepticus.
Case report: We present a patient with the Unverricht-Lundborg Disease (ULD) who had developed refractory recurrent status epilepticus during COVID-19 infection, which was finally controlled by treatment with tocilizumab.
Discussion: Tocilizumab, an IL-6 inhibitor, may be considered as a treatment option in patients with SE and refractory seizures.
Keywords: COVID-19 infection; Unverricht-Lundborg Disease; status epilepticus; tocilizumab.
. 2022 Jun 9.
doi: 10.1111/ene.15440. Online ahead of print.
Treatment of COVID-19-induced refractory status epilepticus by tocilizumab
Esra Kochan Kizilkilic[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rumeysa Unkun[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ugur Uygunoglu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sakir Delil[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Cigdem Ozkara[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35678591
- DOI: 10.1111/ene.15440
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 is a novel infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), in which, neurological complications have been increasingly recognized. Acute symptomatic epileptic seizures and status epilepticus (SE) is a frequently reported neurological complication associated with this infection. The nervous system damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 may be mediated by the immune system. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), an important component of the cytokine storm, is directly correlated with the severity of symptoms. Tocilizumab is an inhibitor of IL-6 receptors, which blocks IL-6-mediated signal transduction and is used in the treatment of COVID-19 and status epilepticus.
Case report: We present a patient with the Unverricht-Lundborg Disease (ULD) who had developed refractory recurrent status epilepticus during COVID-19 infection, which was finally controlled by treatment with tocilizumab.
Discussion: Tocilizumab, an IL-6 inhibitor, may be considered as a treatment option in patients with SE and refractory seizures.
Keywords: COVID-19 infection; Unverricht-Lundborg Disease; status epilepticus; tocilizumab.