Systematic Reviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Oct 16, 2024; 12(29): 6285-6301
Published online Oct 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i29.6285
Spectrum of delayed post-hypoxic leukoencephalopathy syndrome: A systematic review
Bahadar S Srichawla, Maria A Garcia-Dominguez
Bahadar S Srichawla, Maria A Garcia-Dominguez, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, United States
Author contributions: Srichawla BS was responsible for data curation, writing, editing, and supervision; Garcia-Dominguez MA was responsible for data curation and editing; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: This systematic review was completed in concordance with the PRISMA 2009 checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Bahadar S Srichawla, DO, MS, Staff Physician, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, 55 Lake Ave N, Worcester, MA 01655, United States. bahadar.srichawla@umassmemorial.org
Received: July 8, 2024
Revised: July 31, 2024
Accepted: August 14, 2024
Published online: October 16, 2024
Processing time: 51 Days and 1.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Delayed post hypoxic leukoencephalopathy syndrome (DPHLS) manifests days to weeks after a hypoxic event, presenting with neurological and cognitive deficits. This systematic review consolidates current knowledge on DPHLS, highlighting the complexity of its pathophysiology and the challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Common causes include benzodiazepine and opioid overdose, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Neuroimaging typically shows diffuse T2 hyperintensities in cerebral white matter sometimes involving subcortical structures such as the basal ganglia and thalamus. Early recognition and supportive management are crucial. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be beneficial in CO poisoning.