A case of a 14 year old boy with limb weakness.pptx
1. Dhaka Medical College Hospital
Weekly Grand Round
Presentation
A CASE OF A 14 YEAR
OLD BOY WITH LIMB
WEAKNESS MEDICINE UNIT VIII
Department of Medicine
5. PRESENTING COMPLAINTS
Unable to swallow and
speak for 5 days
Confusion and
excessive sleepiness
for 15 days
Weakness of all
four limbs for 20
days
01
02
03
7. HISTORY OF PRESENT
ILLNESS
● According to the statement of his sister, he was reasonably well one
month back.
● His illness started with weakness in the right lower limb, initially
associated with pain.
● The pain subsided and the weakness progressively involved the right side
of the trunk, right upper limb, the left lower limb and then to left upper
limb over a period of 3 weeks. He did not complain any numbness.
8. HISTORY OF PRESENT
ILLNESS
● During this period, he was remarkably sleepy, tired, had difficulty in walking
due to loss of balance. He frequently complained of headache.
● With these complaints he repeatedly consulted Paediatric Neurology
Department in BSMMU on OPD basis first and then got admitted.
● Medical records show that he had ataxia, nystagmus, hypertonia, hyper-
reflexia and extensor plantar reflex with urinary incontinence at the time of
admission on September, 2022.
9. ● During the 12 days of admission his condition deteriorated progressively. He
developed dysphagia, dysarthria, dysphonia and GCS level went down from 15
to 9. So, he was referred to DMCH.
● While in DMCH his conditions initially worsened, GCS dipped down to 3. Then
his condition started to improve and GCS was 13 by day 5 of admission. His
urinary incontinence and dysphagia resolved. Significant muscle weakness
persisted.
HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS
10. ● Now the patient can walk albeit with support, GCS persists at 15.
● He had no fever or seizure at any point. There is no history of any preceding
illness or contact with TB patient. His bowel habit was normal throughout.
HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS
11. OTHER RELEVANT HISTORY
HISTORY OF PAST ILLNESS
Nothing of significance
PERSONAL HISTORY
Active teenage student. Plays
football. Non-smoker, no history of
narcotic use
SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY
Comes from a lower middle class
family
FAMILY HISTORY
Patient has an elder sister. Both
parents alive and well (No
consanguinity). No history of similar
illness in either side of the family.
TRAVEL HISTORY
No travel history outside of Dhaka and
Sherpur in last one year
IMMUNISATION HISTORY
14. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: GENERAL
PERFORMED ON 29 SEP
Appearance Semi-conscious, ill-looking, vacant expression
Anemia/Jaundice/Cyanosis Absent
Clubbing Absent
Koilonychia/ Leukonychia Absent
Edema Absent
Lymphadenopathy Absent
BP 100/70mmHg
Pulse 72/min
Temperature Normal
Respiration Normal, SpO2 100% on air
15. SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION
Detailed neurological
examination was
difficult due to the
patient’s fluctuating
level of consciousness.
The most detailed neuro
exam could be carried
out on 03 OCT
Other systemic
examination yielded no
positive findings
17. CRANIAL NERVES
Could not be performed due to low level of consciousness
MOTOR
RU RL LU LL
Tone
Strength Could not be assessed due to low
level of consciousness
DEEP TENDON REFLEXES
Biceps Triceps Supinator Knee Ankle
R
All are exaggerated without clonus
L
SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION: NERVOUS SYSTEM
PERFORMED ON 29 SEP
GCS
7/15 (E4V2M1)
PLANTAR REFLEX
Flexor Bilaterally
18. CRANIAL NERVES
II, III, IV, VI Significant palsy in right lateral
gaze, right eye; upward gaze,
both eyes
Nystagmus on both lateral gazes.
Saccadic eye movement with
broken pursuit
V Sensations Intact,
Significant weakness,
symmetrical
VII Symmetrical weakness
IX, X Could not cough or open
mouth wide enough
XI, XII Symmetrical Weakness
MOTOR
RU RL LU LL
Tone
Strength 1/5 2/5 1/5 2/5
DEEP TENDON REFLEXES
Biceps Triceps Supinator Knee Ankle
R
All are exaggerated without clonus
L
SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION: NERVOUS SYSTEM
PERFORMED ON 3 OCT
GCS 14/15 (E4V4M6)
19. PLANTAR REFLEX
Flexor Bilaterally
COORDINATION
Could not perform due to weakness
GAIT
Could not perform due to weakness
SENSORY SYSTEM
All sensory modalities intact throughout the
body
SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION: NERVOUS SYSTEM
PERFORMED ON 3 OCT
HIGHER PSYCHIC FUNCTION
MMSE Score 20/30
OPHTHALMOSCOPY
Normal findings
21. TIMELINE OF DISEASE PROGRESSION
First symptom appears: Right lower leg pain
27 AUG
Developed headaches and sleepiness
30 AUG
BSMMU Outpatient consultation
2 SEP
Leg pain and headache settles. Sleepiness remains. Notices
weakness in right leg
4 SEP
Develops urinary incontinence. Weakness worsens
15 SEP
22. Repeat BSMMU outpatient consultation. Exaggerated DTR, Babinsky
sign, Nystagmus, Ataxia found on exam. Admission.
17 SEP
Dysphagia appears. GCS dips to 9. ICU advice anticipating
respiratory muscle paralysis
25 SEP
Admitted to DMCH. GCS 7. Plantar returns to flexor.
29 SEP
Condition worsens. GCS goes down to 3. No respiratory paralysis.
30 SEP
Level of consciousness improves but fluctuating. GCS 7 (E4V2M1)
01 OCT
TIMELINE OF DISEASE PROGRESSION
23. Condition keeps improving. Muscle power MRC 1 /2 across limbs.
GCS 12/15. Keeps drifting off.
02 OCT
NG removed, can swallow liquids. Incontinence resolves. Party
decides to leave
03 OCT
Consciousness level worsened, not arousable for most of the day.
Contacts DMCH and advised to admit. Improves spontaneously late
in the evening, stays home.
06 OCT
Can walk with support. Drowsiness decreased but still significant.
09 OCT
Comes in for follow up?
12 OCT
TIMELINE OF DISEASE PROGRESSION
24. SALIENT FEATURES
A 14 year old fit madrasa student
develops leg pain and weakness
Pain subsides but the weakness
ascends and affects all limbs
At the same time he develops
headache and excessive
sleepiness
He eventually developed
ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, dysphagia,
Dysarthria
At no point was there any fever.
There was no history of
preceding illness
Over the course of a month his
weakness and drowsiness
worsened
Examination revealed
hypertonicity and hyperreflexia.
Plantar initially extensor, then
flexor
Sensory modalities were intact
throughout
30. INVESTIGATIONS
CSF STUDY
Volume 1 ml
Color Watery
Appearance Clear
WBC Count 03 Cells/ cm3
Neutrophils 20%
Lymphocyte 80%
CSF STUDY
Glucose 6.1 mmol/L
Protein 1.0 gm/L
Chloride 115mmol/L
Gram Stain No organism seen
AFB No organism seen
ADA 15.0 u/L
GeneXpart Negative
31. INVESTIGATIONS
IMAGING
MRI BRAIN No abnormalities seen
MRI Spine No abnormalities seen
AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS PANEL
NMDA Negative
AMPA Negative
GABA-B Negative
LGi-1 Negative
Anti GQ1b Ab Pending
NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES
EEG Normal
NCS and EMG No peripheral demyelination
or axonal damage. During
voluntary activation there
is no interference or
activation suggestive of
central cause of motor
weakness