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An Enigma of Female Psychosis: Case Report and Literature Review

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An Enigma of Female Psychosis: Case Report and Literature Review Research Article iMedPub Journals ACTA PSYCHOPATHOLOGICA 2018 www.imedpub.com ISSN 2469-6676 Vol.4 No.S3:16 DOI: 10.4172/2469-6676.100172 An Enigma of Female Psychosis: Case Report Usama Khalid Choudry1*, 2 and Literature Review of Therapeutic Areeba Nisar , Mahwish Amin2, Strategies in Paraneoplastic Encephalitis Aisha Sanober5, Associated with Ovarian Teratoma Qurat ul Ain Khan5, Qurat ul Ain Khan5, Iram Aamir Siddiqa4 and Abdullah Khalid1 Abstract 1 Department of General Surgery, Shifa Introduction: Paraneoplastic Encephalitis (PNE) is the neuropathological disorder International Hospital, Islamabad, of central nervous system, associated with a remote tumor, which presents with Pakistan diverse of neuropsychological symptoms. There is still a deficiency of an aptly 2 Jinnah Medical and Dental College, formulated management protocol. Karachi, Pakistan 3 Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, Case report: We report the first case of anti- NMDA-R PNE secondary to ovarian Pakistan teratoma from Pakistan, in a 17 year old girl that presented with acute psychosis. 4 Bahria Medical University, Karachi, She underwent immediate tumor excision with plasmapheresis followed by a Pakistan combination of corticosteroids and IV immunoglobulin therapy. The patient 5 Department of Psychiatry, Aga khan relapsed after a month despite the treatment presenting with mild psychosis, University Hospital, Pakistan memory loss and cognitive impairment. Provided along with the case report is an extensive literature review (2010-2017) on previously reported cases of PNE with ovarian teratoma to improve understanding of current management of this form *Corresponding author: of encephalitis. Usama Khalid Choudry Conclusion: Paraneoplastic encephalitis is a critical yet reversible illness. Our comprehensive review and experience can be summarized in the following [email protected] guidelines signifying the current clinical practices regarding PNE with ovarian teratoma. (I) PNE should be suspected in female patients presenting with an acute Department of General Surgery, Shifa history of neuropsychiatric symptoms. (II) Tumor resection should be performed International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan. earliest to improve patient outcomes.(III) Administration of plasma exchange therapy in immediate postoperative period is recommended. (IV) Pulse therapy Tel: +923456165524 preceding intravenous immunoglobin therapy improves patient prognosis. (V) Patients should be discharged on maintenance dose of corticosteroids. (VI) Long term follow up is recommended to monitor for relapses. Citation: Choudry UK, Nisar A, Amin M, Saeed W, Sanober A, et al. (2018) An Enigma Keywords: Ovarian teratoma; Paraneoplastic encephalitis; Acute psychosis of Female Psychosis: Case Report and Literature Review of Therapeutic Strategies in Paraneoplastic Encephalitis Associated Received: May 08, 2018; Accepted: May 22, 2018; Published: May 31, 2018 with Ovarian Teratoma. Acta Psychopathol Vol.4 No.S3:16 Introduction of glutamate receptor have been associated with a recently Paraneoplastic encephalitis (PNE) is a multifocal inflammatory described encephalopathy that has primarily been identified in disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) associated with young females with ovarian tumors. Ovarian teratoma-associated remote neoplasia. PNE is known to present with subacute encephalitis was first reported in 1997 [2]. In 2007, an association onset of short-term memory loss, episodic seizures, psychiatric was identified between this type of encephalitis and N-methyl-D- manifestations, and neurological or pathologic evidence of aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies [3]. NMDAR is a ligand- involvement of the amygdala and medial aspect of temporal gated cation channel, comprising NR1 and NR2 subunits, that lobes [1]. Antibodies to the N-methyl-d-aspartate subtype serves crucial functions in synaptic transmission and plasticity. © Under License of Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License | This article is available from: www.psychopathology.imedpub.com 1 ACTA PSYCHOPATHOLOGICA 2018 ISSN 2469-6676 Vol.4 No.S3:16 The incidence of PNE with ovarian tumors accounts for about Histopathology of the sample showed a mature cystic ovarian 10% of malignancies associated with paraneoplastic syndromes teratoma. Patients’ blood sample was sent to a Malaysian lab, [4]. The international incidence of PEM is by far unknown. which showed positive titers for anti NMDA receptor antibodies. Previously reported cases of ovarian teratoma associated with Patient was diagnosed anti- NMDA-R encephalitis secondary to PNE with NMDA antibodies, have shown variable responses to ovarian teratoma. different treatment options that have evolved over the years, Patient was initially treated with broad spectrum antibiotics along based on individual practices. Thus far there are no established with atypical antipsychotics but did not respond to treatment and guidelines to treat this type of PNE. Previous literature reviews her psychosis was persistent. After attaining the above mentioned suggest variable recovery outcomes ranging from complete evidence regarding anti-NMDA antibodies, pulse therapy was recovery to extensive residual neurologial manifestations, administered with intravenous methyl prednisolone 1 g/day but there has been no report of a relapsing illness in this form for 3 days along with plasma exchange therapy and then was of encephalitis. We here report a case of ovarian teratoma switched to maintenance dose (oral prednisolone 80 mg/day). associated PNE with NMDA antibodies that presented with a Patient responded remarkably to treatment. She had complete relapse after complete remission. Along with the case report, we remission of neurological symptoms. The remission was assessed also provide an extensive literature review which explains all the by progressively increasing scores on BPRS (Basic Psychiatric current practices and treatment modalities that are being used Rating Scale), MMSE and Modified Ranklein Scale. Patient was for anti NMDA encephalitis. discharged with maintenance therapy at home. She was advised Case Report to follow up in clinic. Four weeks later, patient came in the clinic with a considerable relapse, in psychosis despite her compliance A 17 years old female, student by profession, was brought to to steroid therapy at home. She was admitted and intravenous A & E with presenting complaint of odd behavior since 1 day. immunoglobulin therapy was initiated along with oral steroid According to the informant, she was well and functional until therapy. She had remission with residual cognitive and memory yesterday. The symptoms initiated with irrelevant questioning impairment (Table 1). in the class room and restless at night. She started pacing around in the room, and compliant of inability to sleep. She Discussion was unable to recognize the inmates of house and became PNE described as, paraneoplastic anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate hostile towards them. Her male cousins also reported acts of receptor encephalitis association with ovarian teratoma was disinhibition. There were no crying spells; anhedonia; feeling of first documented by Dalmau et al. As per our knowledge, this hopelessness; feeling of worthlessness; any self-harm behavior is the first case to have been reported from Pakistan. In PNE, or thoughts of grandiosity. There was no history of recent neurologic dysfunction results from an autoimmune reaction or remote head injury, any recent febrile illness, obsessive directed against onconeural antigens in the CNS. An over activity thoughts or compulsive behaviors, hallucinations. Substance of NMDAR may result in toxicity and excitation of the neuron abuse or exposure to any toxic substance was also denied by the which causes development of neuropsychiatric symptoms in an informant. Neither any apparent acute stressor nor trigger was individual. PNE has been conventionally diagnosed on the basis of identified. There was no significant past psychiatric history in the the criteria defined by Graus et al., which considers the presence patient or immediate family. Patients informant also denied any of tumor, antibodies and neurological manifestation [4], as was past episodes of amnesia, unconsciousness, confusion, seizures, seen in our patient as well. and disorientation. On mental state examination, constant self-muttering was present, eyes were closed and she was not According to this current review on PNE with ovarian teratoma reported from 2010-2016, patients suffering from PNE following commands. On physical exam, there was hypotonia in associated with ovarian teratoma presented most commonly all extremities and she was unable to move all her limbs, rest was with headaches (8 studies), confusion (7 studies) and auditory unremarkable. Her initial investigations showed a hemoglobin hallucinations (7 studies), whereas in our patient psychiatric level of 8.4 mg/dl and a CRP of 13.97 mg/dl. Urine DR, CSF symptoms appeared to be more pronounced in comparison to culture, blood cultures (x3), malarial parasite testing, polymerase neurosomatic symptoms as reported in previous studies (Table assay for tuberculosis, herpes simplex type 1 and 2 antigens, 2). Gultekin et al., reported short term memory loss as the most meningococcal, streptococcal, hemophilic, cryptococcal and common symptom in patients of PNE [3]. Short term memory loss; brucella antigen testing was all negative. Lumbar puncture was which is a common presentation in PNE patients was observed in in conclusive. Liver function
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