Post-COVID-19 vaccine acute hyperactive encephalopathy with dramatic response to methylprednisolone: A case report

Background

Since introducing the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, different adverse effects and complications have been linked to the vaccine. Variable neurological complications have been reported after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, such as acute encephalopathy.

Case presentation

In this report, we describe a 32-year-old previously healthy man who developed acute confusion, memory disturbances, and auditory hallucination within 24 hours from getting his first dose of the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine.EEG showed features of encephalopathy, CSF investigations were nonspecific, and MRI head did not depict any abnormality. He received five days of ceftriaxone and acyclovir without any benefit.

Discussion

Extensive workup for different causes of acute encephalopathy, including autoimmune encephalitis, was negative. Also, Our patient improved dramatically after receiving methylprednisolone, supporting an immune-mediated mechanism behind his acute presentation. Accordingly, we think the COVID-19 vaccine is the only possible cause of our patient presentation, giving the temporal relationship and the absence of other risk factors for encephalopathy.

Conclusion

the clinician should be aware of the possible neurological complications of the different COVID-19 vaccines. Further research is needed to clarify the pathophysiology of such complications.

Other Information

Published in: Annals of Medicine & Surgery
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102803