Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in Pediatric Cancer: Clinical and Radiologic Findings

PURPOSE: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is associated with a range of medical conditions and medications. In this retrospective analysis, we present 19 pediatric patients with PRES who had undergone chemotherapy. METHODS: We identified four female and 15 male patients diagnosed with PRES on the basis of clinical and radiologic features. Patient charts were reviewed from January 2013 to June 2016 after authorization from the institutional review board. RESULTS: The average age of patients with PRES was 7 years. Primary diagnoses were non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 9), acute pre–B-cell leukemia (n = 5), relapsed pre–B-cell leukemia (n = 2), Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 2), and Ewing sarcoma (n = 1). PRES occurred during induction chemotherapy in 12 patients. Sixteen patients had hypertension when they developed PRES. Most of these patients (n = 13) were receiving corticosteroids on diagnosis of PRES. Common clinical features were hypertension, seizures, and altered mental status. With the exclusion of three patients, all others required antiepileptic therapy. Ten of these patients underwent additional magnetic resonance imaging. Ten patients are still alive. CONCLUSION: In patients who presented to our center with signs and symptoms of hypertension, seizures, visual loss, or altered mental status, PRES was mostly seen in those who were undergoing systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy. Approximately 40% of the patients had reversal of clinical and radiologic findings. Antiepileptic medications were discontinued after being seizure free for approximately 6 months.