We present a case of a 65 year-old woman who came to the emergency room complaining of progressive language disturbance and abnormal posture of her right arm that had begun one month earlier. After detailed clinical and neuropsychological examinations CJD was suspected and complementary examinations such as EEG, brain MRI and lumbar puncture were performed. The patient showed rapid and global cognitive deterioration, leading to her death two months after admission.
Clinical case: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
 
  Keywords
 
 
  
   Clinical case
  
 
 
  
   Creutzfeldt-Jakob
  
 
 
  
   Nursing
  
 
 
  
   Prion diseases
  
 
 
  
   Neurodegenerative diseases
  
 
Abstract
 Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder presenting with <dis>rapidly progressive memory impairment</dis>, behavioral changes, lack of coordination and/or <dis>visual disturbances</dis>.
This condition is part of a group of diseases known as spongiform encephalopathies or prionic diseases, which are caused by accumulation of a pathological prion protein (PrP) in the central nervous system, and may occur in sporadic, hereditary or acquired form.
Symptoms usually begin around 60-70 years old and, as the disease advances, progressive neuronal damage due to PrP deposits leads to a more pronounced <dis>mental deterioration</dis>, appearance of <dis>movement disorders</dis>, <dis>blindness</dis> and coma, reaching a high mortality rate (90%) within first year.
We present a case of a 65 year-old woman who came to the emergency room complaining of <dis>progressive language disturbance</dis> and abnormal posture of her right arm that had begun one month earlier.
After detailed clinical and neuropsychological examinations CJD was suspected and complementary examinations such as EEG, brain MRI and lumbar puncture were performed.
The patient showed <dis>rapid and global cognitive deterioration</dis>, leading to her death two months after admission.
A subsequent pathological study confirmed the diagnosis of CJD.
It is important to know the disease in order to provide adequate nursing care.
The rapid progression of the disease and the level of dependence make it necessary to continually reappraise these patients.
Abstract
 Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder presenting with rapidly progressive memory impairment, behavioral changes, lack of coordination and/or visual disturbances.
This condition is part of a group of diseases known as spongiform encephalopathies or prionic diseases, which are caused by accumulation of a pathological prion protein (PrP) in the central nervous system, and may occur in sporadic, hereditary or acquired form.
Symptoms usually begin around 60-70 years old and, as the disease advances, progressive neuronal damage due to PrP deposits leads to a more pronounced mental deterioration, appearance of movement disorders, blindness and coma, reaching a high mortality rate (90%) within first year.
We present a case of a 65 year-old woman who came to the emergency room complaining of progressive language disturbance and abnormal posture of her right arm that had begun one month earlier.
After detailed clinical and neuropsychological examinations CJD was suspected and complementary examinations such as EEG, brain MRI and lumbar puncture were performed.
The patient showed rapid and global cognitive deterioration, leading to her death two months after admission.
A subsequent pathological study confirmed the diagnosis of CJD.
It is important to know the disease in order to provide adequate nursing care.
The rapid progression of the disease and the level of dependence make it necessary to continually reappraise these patients.
We present a case of a 65 year-old woman who came to the emergency room complaining of <dis>progressive language disturbance</dis> and abnormal posture of her right arm that had begun one month earlier. After detailed clinical and neuropsychological examinations CJD was suspected and complementary examinations such as EEG, brain MRI and lumbar puncture were performed. The patient showed <dis>rapid and global cognitive deterioration</dis>, leading to her death two months after admission.
progressive language disturbance
DISABILITY
rapid and global cognitive deterioration
DISABILITY