Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in children: series of clinical case reports

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare complication caused by persistent measles infection and characterized by a decline in cognitive functions and severe motor impairments. Since SSPE is considered a potentially fatal complication of acute measles infection and is typically develops in young individuals especially those infected prior to the age of two years old, special attention must be paid to the implementation of vaccination programs that can prevent severe disease. Thus, the purpose of this research was to present the demographic and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with SSPE in order to enhance its early diagnosis and to raise the pediatricians' awareness of this serious measles complication. In this series of case reports Authors represent the clinical picture, laboratory and instrumental data of six children with SSPE admitted at the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital with the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia (Moscow, Russia) in Aug. 2022-Aug. 2024. Authors have conducted an analysis of complaints, clinical symptoms, laboratory, neurophysiological and neuroimaging data of 6 patients with SSPE. All patients have undergone cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and video EEG monitoring during both wakefulness and sleep at the time of diagnosis. Currently, there is no specific treatment for SSPE that would either lead to symptom regression or prevent the related disability. Therefore, vaccination remains the only effective means for the SSPE prevention.