Treatment of COVID‐19‐induced refractory status epilepticus by tocilizumab

Abstract

Background and purposeCOVID‐19 is a novel infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in which neurological complications have been increasingly recognized. Acute symptomatic epileptic seizures and status epilepticus are frequently reported neurological complications associated with this infection. The nervous system damage caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 may be mediated by the immune system. Interleukin 6 (IL‐6), an important component of the cytokine storm, is directly correlated with the severity of symptoms. Tocilizumab is an inhibitor of IL‐6 receptors, which blocks IL‐6‐mediated signal transduction and is used in the treatment of COVID‐19 and status epilepticus.Case reportA patient with the Unverricht–Lundborg disease is presented who had developed refractory recurrent status epilepticus during COVID‐19 infection, which was finally controlled by treatment with tocilizumab.DiscussionTocilizumab, an IL‐6 inhibitor, may be considered as a treatment option in patients with status epilepticus and refractory seizures.