Heat stress presenting with encephalopathy and MRI findings of diffuse cerebral injury and hemorrhage

BACKGROUND Heat stress results in multiorgan failure and CNS injury. There a few case reports in the literature on the neurological consequences of heat stress. CASE PRESENTATION We describe a patient with heat stress presenting with encephalopathy and bilateral cerebral, cerebellar, and thalamic lesions and intraventricular hemorrhage on MRI. CONCLUSION Heat stress should be in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with encephalopathy and elevated serum inflammatory markers especially if the history suggests a preceding episode of hyperthermia.