Spontaneous Periodic Hypothermia in the Elderly: A Rare or Under-Recognised Syndrome

Abstract

Spontaneous periodic hypothermia is a rare syndrome presenting with recurrent, centrally mediated hypothermia without an identifiable systemic cause or brain lesion. The case of an 88-year-old woman with recurrent hypothermia is reported. Despite intensive investigation, no other manifestations of hypothalamic or autonomic dysfunction were found. No corpus callosum lesion was seen on MRI. The patient was successfully treated with clomipramine chlorhydrate.

Keywords

• periodic hypothermia
• shapiro’s syndrome
• clomipramine