Successful treatment of Sydenham's chorea with intravenous immunoglobulin

Abstract

We present a case of a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with Sydenham's chorea. Despite treatment with haloperidol and valproic acid for 2 weeks and antibiotics for 5 days, her symptoms continued to worsen. She became severely impaired in daily functioning, as she could barely speak or walk, experienced major feeding difficulties and required help with all daily activities. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Within 4 days, her symptoms started to improve and after 1-month she had fully recovered. This case reminds us that Sydenham's chorea can result in major functional impairment. There is some evidence on the beneficial effect of IVIG in the treatment of Sydenham's chorea, as is evident in our case. Therefore, IVIG should be considered as a treatment option in patients with severe chorea.