Progressive CT abnormalities despite clinical improvement in SSPE treated with inosiplex

Abstract

Inosiplex has been utilized in the treatment of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), though without unequivocally established beneficial effect. We report a patient whose computerized tomographic (CT) scans demonstrated the development of progressive cerebral atrophy and multifocal white matter lesions despite continuous treatment with inosiplex and periods of considerable clinical improvement or stabilization. The findings suggest that inosiplex may not have altered the pathological consequences of SSPE and that clinical staging categories alone may not be reliable long-term correlates of the progression of the disease. Controlled studies utilizing assessment of brain mass by CT scan or other imaging devices in addition to clinical staging are required to evaluate the efficacy of inosiplex.