Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy secondary to idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia treated with pembrolizumab

Varmpompiti, Kyriakoula, Westwood, Andrew J, Ben-Joseph, Aaron, Sibtain, Naomi, Ibrahim, Mohammad A A, Stanton, Biba, Zuckerman, Mark, Hadden, Robert, Ritter, Laura Mantoan (2023) Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy secondary to idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia treated with pembrolizumab. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 385 . Article Number 578248. ISSN 1872-8421. (doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578248) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:113824)

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578248

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare demyelinating disease due to a lytic infection of oligodendrocytes caused by John Cunningham polyoma virus (JCV) infection. Idiopathic CD4+ T-cell lymphocytopenia (ICL) is a very rare cause of PML.

METHODS: We present an individual with PML secondary to ICL treated with 3 doses of pembrolizumab, a Programmed-Death-1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor following with complete resolution of symptoms and conduct a review of the literature.

CONCLUSION: This report illustrates the objective clinical and radiological improvement in a patient with PML due to ICL and suggests further study of immune checkpoint inhibitors as potential treatment for patients with PML.

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578248
Subjects:	R Medicine
Institutional Unit:	Schools > Kent and Medway Medical School
Former Institutional Unit:	There are no former institutional units.
Funders:	University of Kent (https://ror.org/00xkeyj56)
Depositing User:	Andrew Westwood
Date Deposited:	05 May 2026 13:35 UTC
Last Modified:	07 May 2026 11:23 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/113824 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Westwood, Andrew J.

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5956-2807
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