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.