Neurological complications of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) are common, and novel manifestations are increasingly being recognized. Mild encephalopathy with reversible splenium lesion (MERS) is a syndrome that has been associated with viral infections, but not previously with COVID-19. In this report, we describe the case of a 69 year-old man who presented with fever and encephalopathy in the setting of a diffusion-restricting splenium lesion, initially mimicking an ischemic stroke. A comprehensive infectious workup revealed positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies, and a pro-inflammatory laboratory profile characteristic of COVID-19 infection. His symptoms resolved and the brain MRI findings completely normalized on repeat imaging, consistent with MERS. This case suggests that MERS may manifest as an autoimmune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and should be considered in a patient with evidence of recent COVID-19 infection and the characteristic MERS clinico-radiological syndrome.
Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a rare but devastating disease that occurs in association with trauma or predisposing cardiovascular risk factors. Since clinical presentation is variable, it remains a diagnostic challenge in patients without risk factors, often mistaken for other diseases. Delay in diagnosis of SCI can result in missed treatment opportunities and contributes to the high case fatality rate. This case report examines the case of a 42‐year‐old man with no significant past medical history who presented with clinical symptoms of spinal cord compression secondary to acute SCI in the setting of heavy lifting.
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