A Case Report of a Right-sided Hemichorea Patient Diagnosed with Chorea Hyperglycemia Basal Ganglia Syndrome: A Combined Western-Korean Medicine Approach

Objectives : The purpose of this report is to introduce a rare case of a patient with Chorea Hyperglycemia Basal Ganglia syndrome (C-H-BG) whose initial medical interventions were started 2 weeks after the onset, and to suggest the possibility of treatment using a combined Western-Korean medicine approach. Methods : A 75-year-old female C-H-BG patient complaining of persistent right-sided hemichorea was treated with a therapy that combined Korean and Western medicine from April 4, 2015 to April 29, 2015. Improvements of symptoms were measured by a motor assessment of Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the number of involuntary movements. Results : Motor assessment of UHDRS, VAS and the number of involuntary movements all showed a gradually improving tendency during 26 days of admission treatment. However, the patient’s hemichorea persisted. Conclusion : Rapid blood sugar control is the most important treatment for C-H-BG, because pathologic changes of basal ganglia seem to become irreversible as time goes by. A combined Western-Korean medicine approach to treating C-H-BG seems effective not only in reducing hemichorea, but also in the management of accompanying symptoms such as muscle pain and general weakness.