Treatment of central pontine myelinolysis with thyrotropin-releasing hormone.

INTRODUCTION: Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM), demyelination of the brain stem, is a brain injury apparently due to osmotic forces. There is no consensus for its treatment. CASE: We describe here a case of CPM that occurred in a young patient after correction of hyponatremia, its treatment by intravenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and its outcome. DISCUSSION: Although very few instances of thyrotropin-releasing hormone treatment for CPM have been described, it appears to be effective and well tolerated. Studies are needed to assess its real efficacy.