Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis

We studied three children with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) who had been diagnosed between 1981 and 1983. They were treated with inosiplex and transfer factor, and one was given interferon. Clinical symptoms in all three patients sometimes improved for periods of several months. In two patients computed tomography (CT) first showed low density in the basal ganglia, which later improved and finally disappeared. In all three patients CT showed gradual enlargement of the ventricles and cerebral atrophy. Disappearance of the low-density areas may mean that some of the pathological changes of this disease, including inflammation, demyelination, and gliosis, are reversible. In two patients, we studied magnetic resonance imaging. The spin-echo images showed high intensity in the lateral portions of basal ganglia, in the parieto-occipital portions, and in the frontal portions. Inversion recovery images usually showed low intensity of the same lesions. We think that the MRI gave more useful detail than CT. We think that the improvement in the CT findings and clinical symptoms were due both to the treatment (inosiplex seemed to be especially helpful) and to the natural course of this disease. (author)