Abstract
A case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in a 10-year-old girl was reported since it had an interesting clinical course.
The patient had measles in April 1965. About 6 years later when she was 6 years and 10 months of age, she began to show symptoms of mental deterioration and urinary incontinence. Subsequently weakness of visual acuity, gait distur bance and myoclonic seizures appeared. Changes in EEG findings almost parallelled those of the clinical picture and finally, the EEG showed a typical pattern of periodic bursts of slow waves every 7 to 8 seconds. Titers of measles virus anti body in serum were 1: 1024 (NT) and 1: 128 (CF). Electrophoresis of spinal fluid samples re vealed high levels of γ-globulin.
The patient began to recover, though slightly, one and a half years after the onset of the dis ease: myoclonic seizures disappeared, gait disturbance was markedly improved and even ver bal communication became possible. Administra tion of amantadine hydrochloride (5mg/kg/day) was started in February 1973 a few days after signs of recovery were observed. There-fore, it is difficult to decide whether or not this drug acted effectively in this case. However, this condition did not last for long and deterioration started again two years after the onset of the disease. At present, 3 years after the onset the patient has the symptoms defined as II-C degree according to Freeman's classification.
