Effective Management of Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction in MELAS Using Acotiamide: A Case Report

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is reported to be a secondary cause of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO). Although few case reports have described CIPO in MELAS, effective treatment for CIPO has not been established. Here, we present a ca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Case reports in neurology 2024-01, Vol.16 (1), p.288-293
Main Authors: Kawano, Yuri, Taniguchi, Akira, Narita, Yugo, Kagawa, Ken, Harada, Tetsuro, Shindo, Akihiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Anorexia
Aphasia
Brain research
Case reports
Conflicts of interest
Constipation
Intestinal obstruction
Magnetic resonance imaging
Motility
Nausea
Nervous system
Patients
Side effects
Single Case – General Neurology
Stomach
Stroke
Tomography
Vomiting
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Summary:Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is reported to be a secondary cause of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO). Although few case reports have described CIPO in MELAS, effective treatment for CIPO has not been established. Here, we present a case report of amelioration of CIPO symptoms using acotiamide in a patient with MELAS. A 51-year-old Japanese female with a mitochondrial disorder with m.3243A>G mutation and a history of anorexia for 2 years presented to our hospital with a left temporal headache and acute paraphasia. A stroke-like episode of MELAS was suspected and combined therapy with arginine, edaravone, and levetiracetam was initiated. Although her symptoms improved, she presented with nausea and vomiting and abdominal distension 6 days following admission. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed dilatation from the stomach to the intestine, particularly marked the stomach, with neither obstruction nor impaired blood flow in the intestine. CIPO exacerbation with MELAS was suspected, and the patient's symptoms gradually improved with acotiamide. Patients with MELAS could possibly experience stroke-like episodes during CIPO. Since acetylcholine possibly plays an important role in the pathophysiology of CIPO and acotiamide possesses prokinetic activity by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, acotiamide could possibly improve CIPO symptoms.
ISSN:1662-680X
1662-680X
DOI:10.1159/000541012