Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome Associated with COVID-19
- Author:
Kuldeep SHETTY
1
;
Atul Manchakrao JADHAV
;
Ranjith JAYANTHAKUMAR
;
Seema JAMWAL
;
Tejaswini SHANUBHOGUE
;
Mallepalli Prabhakar REDDY
;
Gopal Krishna DASH
;
Radhika MANOHAR
;
Vivek Jacob PHILIP
;
Vikram HUDED
Author Information
- Publication Type:3
- From:Journal of Movement Disorders 2021;14(2):153-156
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have increasingly been reported since the onset of the pandemic. Herein, we report a relatively new presentation. A patient in the convalescence period following a febrile illness with lower respiratory tract infection (fever, myalgia, nonproductive cough) presented with generalized disabling myoclonus, which is phenotypically suggestive of brainstem origin, along with additional truncal cerebellar ataxia. His neurology work-ups, such as brain MRI, electroencephalography, serum autoimmune and paraneoplastic antibody testing, were normal. His CT chest scan revealed right lower lung infiltrates, and serological and other laboratory testing did not show evidence of active infection. COVID-19 titers turned out to be strongly positive, suggestive of post-COVID-19 lung sequelae. He responded partially to antimyoclonic drugs and fully to a course of steroids, suggesting a para- or postinfectious immune-mediated pathophysiology. Myoclonusataxia syndrome appears to be a neurological manifestation of COVID-19 infection, and knowledge regarding this phenomenon should be increased among clinicians for better patient care in a pandemic situation.
