AI Article Synopsis
- A 54-year-old man arrived at the emergency room showing confusion and signs of Parkinson's disease after suspected heroin use.
- MRI results revealed restricted diffusion and swelling in the globus pallidus area of his brain, indicating hypoxic ischemic damage, which is atypical for most anoxic injuries.
- The study highlights the need to consider opioid toxicity as a potential cause in patients, particularly younger adults, who present with Parkinsonian symptoms or specific brain lesions.
Article Abstract
A 54-year-old man presented to the emergency department with confusion and Parkinsonian features after suspected heroin snorting. He had magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrating isolated symmetric bilateral globus pallidus (GP) restricted diffusion and edema consistent with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. In contrast to other anoxic/ischemic insults, where the GP is preferentially spared, autopsy reports on intravenous heroin users have found the GP to be specifically affected, often demonstrating symmetric bilateral lesions. Opioid toxicity should be considered in patients presenting with Parkinsonian features on examination or pallidal lesions on imaging, especially in younger adults where infarction is less common.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6861023 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2019.7.43537 | DOI Listing |
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