Clinical Reasoning: A 30-Year-Old Woman Presenting With Rapidly Progressive Dementia and Extreme Hypoglycorrhachia

Abstract

A 30-year-old woman presented with rapidly progressive dementia 1 month after the coronavirus disease 2019 infection. Repeated CSF analysis showed extreme hypoglycorrhachia, while cultures, metagenomic next-generation sequencing, and cytopathology testing of CSF were negative. Laboratory investigations for possible etiologies revealed elevated blood ammonia and cancer antigen 125. Brain MRI demonstrated bilateral symmetric diffuse cortical lesions with mild hyperintensity on T1-weighted image and postcontrast enhancement. A more thorough history and specific examinations subsequently indicated an underlying etiology. This case provides an approach for evaluating young patients with rapidly progressive dementia, extreme hypoglycorrhachia, and diffuse CNS lesions, highlighting the importance of considering a broad differential diagnosis.