[Epileptic seizures and hematemesis in a young patient with sickle cell disease]

Rev Med Interne. 2016 May;37(5):367-70. doi: 10.1016/j.revmed.2015.08.005. Epub 2015 Sep 19.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Introduction: Sickle cell disease is a multi-faceted disease, which can affect all organs. Here, we report the case of a young woman whose clinical presentation was confusing.

Case report: An 18-year-old patient from Martinique in Caribbean area presented to the emergency room with widespread pain, as part of a vaso-occlusive crisis. She reported being followed for SS sickle cell anemia, with a history of vaso-occlusive crises and exchange transfusions in the past. Her hemoglobin rate was 83g/L. She was treated with opioid analgesics. Then, she presented several generalized tonic-clonic seizures and major episodes of hematemesis, which proved to be simulated by the patient, whose hemoglobin electrophoresis result was finally AS.

Conclusion: This patient had therefore the Münchausen syndrome, mimicking sickle cell anemia, like eight other cases reported in the literature.

Keywords: Drépanocytose; Factitious disorder; Hematemesis; Hémoptysie; Munchausen syndrome; Pathomimie; Sickle cell disease; Syndrome de Lasthénie de Ferjol; Syndrome de Münchausen.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / complications
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / diagnosis*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Epilepsy / diagnosis*
  • Epilepsy / etiology
  • Female
  • Hematemesis / diagnosis*
  • Hematemesis / etiology
  • Humans