Good's syndrome with opportunistic infection of the central nervous system: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Immunodeficiency with a thymoma (Good's syndrome) is a rare condition occurring in patients with adult-onset hypogammaglobulinemia that is progressive after the removal of thymoma. Recently, we encountered a patient with Good's syndrome who suddenly developed opportunistic encephalitis 4 years after the resection of thymoma without a history of infectious complications. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old man, who underwent surgery to remove a thymoma at the age of 54, was admitted because of speech difficulties. A brain MRI showed multiple lesions involving the frontal lobes, but the CSF finding was normal. Acyclovir was empirically administered, and fever as well as his neurological symptoms fully recovered within a few days. However, 1 week after admission, motor aphasia and mild right hemiparesis reappeared. MRI showed that the lesion involving the left cingulate gyrus expanded in size, and revealed an abnormal signal intensity lesion in the left corona radiata. Laboratory examination found increased CMV pp65 antigen-positive lymphocytes in serum. Antiviral therapy using ganciclovir and immunoglobulin replacement therapy was started. The patient has since been free from any neurological symptoms for 1 year, and lesions demonstrated by MRI are gradually improving. CONCLUSION: Early recognition of this rare condition and prompt initiation of therapy are crucially important. Awareness of immunodeficiency in a patient after removal of thymoma may help neurologists to consider the possibility that opportunistic infection may be the cause of cerebral lesions.

Acute psychosis as an initial manifestation of hypothyroidism: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Hypothyroidism is one of the most important causes of treatable dementia, and psychosis occasionally associated with it is known as myxedema madness. We report a case of a 90-year-old patient who developed myxedema madness acutely without overt clinical symptoms and signs suggestive of hypothyroidism. CASE PRESENTATION: A 90-year-old Japanese man, a general practitioner, was admitted to our emergency room because of acute-onset lethargy, delusions, and hallucinations. He had been actively working until 3 days before the admission. Upon admission, his general physical examination was unremarkable. However, a blood investigation showed the presence of hypothyroidism, and computed tomography revealed pleural effusion and ascites. Electroencephalography revealed diffuse slow waves with a decrease of α-wave activity. A single-photon emission computed tomography scan revealed a decrease of cerebral blood flow in both frontal lobes. The patient was soon treated with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Following normalization of his thyroid function, both pleural effusion and ascites diminished and his electroencephalographic activity improved simultaneously; however, he did not recover from his psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: Myxedema madness should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of acute psychosis in elderly patients, particularly the oldest patients as in our case, because manifestations of hypothyroidism often may be indistinguishable from the aging process.