A Mitochondrial Disorder in a Middle Age Iranian Patient: Report of a Rare Case.

Introduction: Mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) can involve multiple systems and cause stroke-like episodes and status epilepticus.

Case Presentation: A 48-year-old female with history of early fatigability, migraine-type headaches, and bilateral sensory-neural hearing loss presented 3 episodes of serial seizures. On admission she was affected by Wernicke aphasia and, then, right hemiparesis. Investigations showed elevated arterial lactate and ragged red fibers on muscle biopsy.

Conclusion: Though more commonly diagnosed during childhood, some cases of adult-onset MELAS syndrome are reported. This syndrome should be considered in patients with stroke-like events in adults without cerebrovascular risk factors and difficult-to-treat seizures.