Sudden death occurring after anti-Hu associated paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and dysautonomia revealing a small cell lung carcinoma

Introduction. - Paraneoplastic syndromes are a rare cancer complication with a frequent subacute evolution. Observation. - A 62-year-old man was admitted presenting with a cerebellar syndrome and orthostatic hypotension with dysautonomia. Anti-Hu antibody research Was positive. A subcarinal adenopathy biopsy found out a small cell lung carcinoma. Despite a treatment with immunoglobulin and chemotherapy, the patient died suddenly, after a raise of dysautonomia symptoms. Conclusion. - Sudden death observations represent exceptional complications of paraneoplastic syndrome. They might be secondary to arrhythmias, ictal asystol or laryngospasm. Systematic research of paroxystic heart arrhythmias with holter-ECG in paraneoplastic syndrome may prevent sudden deaths. (C) 2014 Societe nationale francaise de medecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.