Should we think of Urbach-Wiethe disease in refractory epilepsy? Case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Urbach-Wiethe disease (UWD) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by both neurological and dermatological manifestations. Face specially eyelids are commonly involved. Alopecia, nail dystrophy and dental anomalies have been reported as less frequent symptoms. Some patients show evidences of epilepsy and psychiatric symptoms such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, and anxiety due to calcium deposits in different parts of the brain. In this report, we describe the case of a young woman affected by UWD presenting with neurological involvements and no dermatological manifestations. This patient is a unique case of UWD as she has partial seizures and hoarseness. Also we summarize relevant data from the literature.