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Chorea – Is Diabetes Mellitus the Cause?

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Abstract

Diabetic striatopathy (DS) is an uncommon complication of diabetes characterized by hemiballismus-hemichorea, often accompanied by reversible striatal hyperintensity on neuroimaging. Diabetes is the most common metabolic cause of hemiballismus and hemichorea. However, it is underreported as clinicians do not always consider it in the diagnosis of new movement abnormalities. The prognosis is generally excellent, and management involves glycemic control and anti-chorea medications. We present a case of a patient with bilateral chorea and ballismus and classic MRI findings of DS, though his history of diabetes and substance use confounds the clinical picture of DS.

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Acknowledgements:

The authors do not have any contributors or funding sources to disclose. This case was presented at the Southern Medical Association’s Virtual Abstract Competition on August 9, 2023 and at the Southern Medical Association’s Annual Scientific Assembly on October 28, 2023.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center, Memphis, TN, USA

    Tina Phan MD, Elisabeth Klouda MD & Christopher D. Jackson MD, FACP, FSSCI

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 920 Madison Ave, Room 551, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA

    Tina Phan MD, Elisabeth Klouda MD & Christopher D. Jackson MD, FACP, FSSCI

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  1. Tina Phan MD
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Correspondence to Tina Phan MD.

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Phan, T., Klouda, E. & Jackson, C.D. Chorea – Is Diabetes Mellitus the Cause?. J GEN INTERN MED (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-024-08666-1

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