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Case Reports
. 2022 Feb:213:107121.
doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2022.107121. Epub 2022 Jan 7.

Neuropsychiatric syndrome with myoclonus after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a paediatric patient

M Della Corte  1 , C Delehaye  2 , E Savastano  3 , M F De Leva  3 , P Bernardo  4 , A Varone  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Neuropsychiatric syndrome with myoclonus after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a paediatric patient

M Della Corte et al. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2022 Feb.

Abstract

We report the case of a 12-years-old patient who subacutely developed a positive and negative myoclonus of limbs and face, drowsiness and memory deficits after getting infected by SARS-CoV-2. On admission, nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2, brain and spinal MRI with and without contrast, EEG, chest X-ray and abdominal ultrasound were negative. CSF physical-chemical examination, culture, PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens, and oligoclonal IgG bands were negative as well. A full panel blood test, including clotting, autoimmunity and paraneoplastic blood studies, did not show any alteration. The neuropsychological examination showed an impairment in memory, visual-motor coordination, inductive reasoning skills, attention, and concentration. The patient was first treated with clonazepam and then with intravenous methylprednisolone for five days, with poor response. For this reason, he then received a cycle of IVIG, thus reaching a gradual and complete recovery. To date, this is the first case of a COVID-19 associated myoclonus affecting a paediatric patient.

Keywords: COVID-19; Myoclonus; Neurological complications; Paediatric.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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