Task-Oriented Rehabilitation for Steroid-Responsive Encephalopathy (SREAT): A Case Report of Functional and Mood Outcomes
Mots-clés :
Activities of Daily Living, Functional independence, Behavioural changes, Emotional well-beingRésumé
Background: Steroid-responsive encephalopathy is an uncommon but complicated neurological condition, making its diagnosis and treatment challenging. It causes a wide range of neurological deficits and cognitive and behavioural changes that affect the patient’s independent activities of daily living and emotional well-being. Case Report: A 66-year-old female patient with a known case of giant cell arteritis was diagnosed with steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis (SREAT). She experienced significant difficulties in performing Activities of Daily Living (ADL) due to cognitive and physical impairments, which contributed to depressive symptoms and reduced quality of life. The Task-Oriented Approach (TOA) is a structured, goal-directed rehabilitation method emphasising real-life functional tasks. It was administered for 50 minutes per session, 5 days a week, for 3 weeks, to enhance functional independence and alleviate depression. Activities of Daily Living (ADL) were evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Result: At the end of 3 weeks after the intervention, the patient showed notable improvements in functional and mood outcomes. Her FIM score increased from 47 to 80, indicating greater independence in ADL, while her BDI-II score decreased from 27 to 15, reflecting a reduction in depressive symptoms from moderate to mild. Conclusion: Improvement in functional and emotional outcomes was observed in this single case following a task-oriented approach to rehabilitation program.
Téléchargements
Références
Laurent C, Capron J, Quillerou B, Thomas G, Alamowitch S, Fain O, et al. Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis (SREAT): characteristics, treatment and outcome in 251 cases from the literature. Autoimmunity reviews. 2016 Dec 1;15(12):1129-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2016.09.008
Ferracci F, Carnevale A. The neurological disorder associated with thyroid autoimmunity. Journal of Neurology. 2006 Aug;253(8):975-84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0170-7
Ferracci F, Bertiato G, Moretto G. Hashimoto's encephalopathy: epidemiologic data and pathogenetic considerations. Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 2004 Feb 15;217(2):165-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2003.09.007
Castillo P, Woodruff B, Caselli R, Vernino S, Lucchinetti C, Swanson J, et al. Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis. Archives of neurology 2006;63(2):197–202. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.63.2.197
Endres D, Perlov E, Stich O, Tebartz van Elst L. Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis (SREAT) presenting as major depression. BMC Psychiatry. 2016 Jun 6;16(1):184. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0897-3
Alsubiheen AM, Choi W, Yu W, Lee H. The effect of task-oriented activities training on upper-limb function, daily activities, and quality of life in chronic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2022 Oct 29;19(21):14125. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114125
Choi W. The effect of task-oriented training on upper-limb function, visual perception, and activities of daily living in acute stroke patients: A pilot study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 Mar 8;19(6):3186. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063186
Liyanage L, Perera C. Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis presenting as major depression. Anuradhapura Medical Journal. 2023 May 1;17(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2025-268082
Perry SI, Nelissen PM, Siemonsma P, Lucas C. The effect of functional-task training on activities of daily living for people with Parkinson's disease, a systematic review with meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2019 Feb 1;42:312-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.12.008
Chompoonimit A, Nualnetr N. The impact of task-oriented client-centred training on individuals with spinal cord injury in the community. Spinal Cord. 2016 Oct;54(10):849-54. https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2015.237
Sivakumar K, Kandaswami K, Natarajan SK, Rajendiran K. Comparative study of lower limb intensive functional training (LIFT) versus task-oriented training (TOT) for children with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy. Physiotherapy Practice and Research. 2025 Feb;46(1):16-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/22130683251318790
Téléchargements
Publiée
Licence
(c) Copyright East African Journal of Neurological Sciences 2026

Ce travail est disponible sous licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 4.0 International.