Cerebral manifestations of ergotism. Report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

A patient with diffuse and focal cerebral dysfunction was found to have absent peripheral pulses. Cerbral angiography revealed evidence of an arteritis with bilateral high grade carotid stenosis. When there was no laboratory confirmation of the arteritis, an iatrogenic etiology (ergotism) was suspected. This was later confirmed by the patient. The pertinent literature on ergotism is reviewed, and it is emphasized that ergotism may develop in patients on therapeutic doses of the drug.