Abstract
<strong>Background:</strong> Anti-GAD-related cerebellar ataxia has rarely been described as an acute cause of autoimmune ataxia. <strong>Phenomenology Shown:</strong> A young female who acutely developed anti-GAD-associated ataxia with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing cerebellar edema and follow-up MRI 6 months later showing cerebellar atrophy. <strong>Educational Value:</strong> Recognizing that anti-GAD-associated cerebellar ataxia can present in a young adult as an acute and severe cause of ataxia, with cerebellar changes evident on MRI.
Highlights
Anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-related cerebellar ataxia has rarely been described as an acute cause of autoimmune ataxia
A 22-year-old previously healthy Caucasian female presented with myalgia, fever, headache and cough. She tested positive for influenza A and was started on oseltamivir
She showed mild confusion and dysarthria, followed the day by extremities and head tremor and ataxic gait. She went to an outside hospital where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results were the following: red blood cells, 9,700 per mm[3]; white blood cells 102 per mm[3]; segmented neutrophils, 80%; lymphocyte, 14%; protein, 98.5 mg/dL; glucose 61 mg/dL
Summary
Anti-GAD-related cerebellar ataxia has rarely been described as an acute cause of autoimmune ataxia. Conflicts of Interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors’ institutional ethics committee has approved this study and all patients have provided written informed consent. She tested positive for influenza A and was started on oseltamivir.
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