Clinical Reasoning: A 47-Year-Old Man With an Upper Respiratory Infection, Acute Confusion, Dysarthria, and Ataxia. 2023

Konrad Kubicki, and Alejandro Vargas, and Rebecca O'Dwyer
From the Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL. konrad.kubicki1@gmail.com.

A patient presenting with acute confusion, dysarthria, and appendicular ataxia with gait instability warrants a broad differential including emergent consideration of acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Moreover, in acute to subacute presentations, a wide array of etiologies including infectious causes, toxins, or autoimmune conditions may be considered. This article features a 47-year-old man who presented acutely with confusion, severe dysarthria, left upper extremity dysmetria, and unsteady gait. In this case, these neurologic signs were preceded by symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. In addition, MRI brain without contrast demonstrated a small focus of hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted imaging in the splenium of the corpus callosum with apparent diffusion coefficient match. The article illustrates a diagnostic approach in evaluating a patient with this constellation of clinical and radiologic findings, as well as pertinent management considerations. A comprehensive overview of other potential causative factors of the imaging findings is described to augment the reader's differential diagnosis. Finally, a literature review pertaining to the revealed diagnosis highlights the epidemiologic relevance and important clinical pearls.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D002524 Cerebellar Ataxia Incoordination of voluntary movements that occur as a manifestation of CEREBELLAR DISEASES. Characteristic features include a tendency for limb movements to overshoot or undershoot a target (dysmetria), a tremor that occurs during attempted movements (intention TREMOR), impaired force and rhythm of diadochokinesis (rapidly alternating movements), and GAIT ATAXIA. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p90) Adiadochokinesis,Ataxia, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Dysmetria,Dysmetria,Cerebellar Hemiataxia,Cerebellar Incoordination,Hypermetria,Adiadochokineses,Ataxias, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Ataxias,Cerebellar Dysmetrias,Cerebellar Hemiataxias,Cerebellar Incoordinations,Dysmetria, Cerebellar,Dysmetrias,Dysmetrias, Cerebellar,Hemiataxia, Cerebellar,Hemiataxias, Cerebellar,Hypermetrias,Incoordination, Cerebellar,Incoordinations, Cerebellar
D003337 Corpus Callosum Broad plate of dense myelinated fibers that reciprocally interconnect regions of the cortex in all lobes with corresponding regions of the opposite hemisphere. The corpus callosum is located deep in the longitudinal fissure. Interhemispheric Commissure,Neocortical Commissure,Callosum, Corpus,Callosums, Corpus,Commissure, Interhemispheric,Commissure, Neocortical,Commissures, Interhemispheric,Commissures, Neocortical,Corpus Callosums,Interhemispheric Commissures,Neocortical Commissures
D004401 Dysarthria Disorders of speech articulation caused by imperfect coordination of pharynx, larynx, tongue, or face muscles. This may result from CRANIAL NERVE DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; CEREBELLAR DISEASES; BASAL GANGLIA DISEASES; BRAIN STEM diseases; or diseases of the corticobulbar tracts (see PYRAMIDAL TRACTS). The cortical language centers are intact in this condition. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p489) Hyperkinetic Dysarthria,Hypokinetic Dysarthria,Scanning Speech,Dysarthosis,Dysarthria, Flaccid,Dysarthria, Guttural,Dysarthria, Mixed,Dysarthria, Scanning,Dysarthria, Spastic,Dysarthoses,Dysarthria, Hyperkinetic,Dysarthria, Hypokinetic,Dysarthrias,Dysarthrias, Flaccid,Dysarthrias, Guttural,Dysarthrias, Hyperkinetic,Dysarthrias, Hypokinetic,Dysarthrias, Mixed,Dysarthrias, Scanning,Dysarthrias, Spastic,Flaccid Dysarthria,Flaccid Dysarthrias,Guttural Dysarthria,Guttural Dysarthrias,Hyperkinetic Dysarthrias,Hypokinetic Dysarthrias,Mixed Dysarthria,Mixed Dysarthrias,Scanning Dysarthria,Scanning Dysarthrias,Scanning Speechs,Spastic Dysarthria,Spastic Dysarthrias,Speechs, Scanning
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000086723 Clinical Reasoning Process by which clinicians collect signs and process information to understand the patient's medical situation or problem, and then plan and implement appropriate medical interventions. Clinical Judgement,Clinical Judgements,Judgement, Clinical,Judgements, Clinical,Reasoning, Clinical
D001259 Ataxia Impairment of the ability to perform smoothly coordinated voluntary movements. This condition may affect the limbs, trunk, eyes, pharynx, larynx, and other structures. Ataxia may result from impaired sensory or motor function. Sensory ataxia may result from posterior column injury or PERIPHERAL NERVE DISEASES. Motor ataxia may be associated with CEREBELLAR DISEASES; CEREBRAL CORTEX diseases; THALAMIC DISEASES; BASAL GANGLIA DISEASES; injury to the RED NUCLEUS; and other conditions. Coordination Impairment,Dyssynergia,Incoordination,Ataxia, Appendicular,Ataxia, Limb,Ataxia, Motor,Ataxia, Sensory,Ataxia, Truncal,Ataxy,Dyscoordination,Lack of Coordination,Tremor, Rubral,Appendicular Ataxia,Appendicular Ataxias,Ataxias,Ataxias, Appendicular,Ataxias, Limb,Ataxias, Motor,Ataxias, Sensory,Ataxias, Truncal,Coordination Impairments,Coordination Lack,Impairment, Coordination,Impairments, Coordination,Incoordinations,Limb Ataxia,Limb Ataxias,Motor Ataxia,Motor Ataxias,Rubral Tremor,Rubral Tremors,Sensory Ataxia,Sensory Ataxias,Tremors, Rubral,Truncal Ataxia,Truncal Ataxias

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