Hypothermia in a Case of Hypothalamic Infarction and Sarcoidosis

Abstract

Subnormal body temperatures were recorded in a patient with mental deterioration, seizures, stupor, and hypoglycemia. A history of alcoholism and sarcoidosis was obtained. Postmortem examination revealed bilateral involvement of the hypothalamus by small hyalinized masses, presumably healed sarcoid granulomata, and a unilateral hemorrhagic infarct. The infarct was restricted to the caudolateral hypothalamus on the left side; on the right side, the ventromedial nucleus showed the greatest involvement by the sarcoid process. The possible role of these lesions in the occurrence of hypothermia is discussed.