[Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis]

Abstract

Introduction: Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis represents a differential diagnostic that must be discuss with meningoencephalitis with ophtalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion.

Exegese: A 26 year-old woman presented a Bickerstaff syndrome. A severe disturbance of consciousness had lead to admission in intensive care unit with mechanical ventilation. Electrophysiological tests and the brain magnetic resonance were normal. We have not observed systemic anti-G1Qb antibody in our patient. Nevertheless, 66% of patients with Bickerstaff syndrome have anti-GQ1b antibody during the acute phase period. We observed a beneficial effect of IV Ig treatment although no significant improvement was observed with corticosteroids.

Conclusion: Controlled clinical trials are needed to established the efficacy of IV Ig or plasmapheresis as a specific therapy for this pathology.