# Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Related Inflammation: A Single-Center Case Series Analysis

**Authors:** Syed Zahid Ali, Hanah Alley, James Johnson, Harshini Sirvisetty, Michael Sowell, Alex Glynn, Peter Hedera

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/brainsci15050472 · Brain Sciences · 2025-04-29

## TL;DR

This paper presents three cases of a rare brain condition called CAA-RI and emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for better outcomes.

## Contribution

The study contributes a detailed case series and literature review on the rare condition CAA-RI, emphasizing diagnostic and treatment insights.

## Key findings

- CAA-RI can present with a wide range of symptoms, leading to frequent misdiagnosis.
- Immunosuppressive therapy shows variable but beneficial outcomes when initiated early.
- MRI findings often overlap with other conditions, complicating diagnosis without biopsy.

## Abstract

Background: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation (CAA-RI) is a rare subtype of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which presents mostly as a subacute and reversible encephalopathy. Primary symptoms include behavioral changes and cognitive decline in the form of rapidly progressive dementia, headache, seizures, and focal neurological deficits. It can also manifest as a varied range of typical and atypical presentations. Misdiagnosis is common because it shares symptoms with other infectious, ischemic and autoimmune pathologies and there is also a significant overlap of MRI findings. Methods: Gold standard diagnosis requires brain biopsy in appropriate clinical setting, but diagnostic criteria is established for probable and possible CAA-RI using clinical symptoms and MRI findings in the absence of other inflammatory, infectious or autoimmune processes. Immunomodulatory therapy is the mainstay of treatment, with variable response. Results: We present a case series of three patients with CAA-RI highlighting disease course, neuroradiological manifestation, treatment response, and clinical outcomes. We also provide a literature review to increase insight into this rare pathology. Conclusions: Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of immunosuppressive therapy is beneficial in most cases.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** cerebral amyloid angiopathy (MONDO:0005620), dementia (MONDO:0001627)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** cognitive decline (MESH:D003072), dementia (MESH:D003704), seizures (MESH:D012640), headache (MESH:D006261), neurological deficits (MESH:D009461), ischemic (MESH:D002545), Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (MESH:D016657), CAA (MESH:C564321), Inflammation (MESH:D007249), encephalopathy (MESH:D001927), autoimmune (MESH:D001327)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12110298/full.md

## References

18 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12110298/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12110298