Purpose: We investigated the effect of intravenous or intramuscular thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) for two patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).

Patient and Method: Two cases of boys suffering from measles in infancy, have been diagnosed with SSPE in our department. Patient 1 is male at the age of 20 years. Patient 2 is male at the age of 19 years. Two patients were bedridden, nutrients from the gastrostomy and Jabbour 3, before the start of TRH therapy. We performed a sufficient explanation to the family and obtained their consent. The TRH was given intravenously or intramuscularly for 10 days each month to the patient at doses of 1 mg per day. Clinical efficacy was assessed using impression of caregivers, clinical score, measles antibody value in cerebrospinal fluid, ECD-SPECT, brain optical topography, visual evoked potential, electroencephalography, and brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Result: Facial expression of both patients are better after one year from start TRH treatment. Patient 1 can be ingestion again after two years later and nutrients from the gastrostomy was canceled. The sequential findings of ECD-SPECT, brain optical topography and visual evoked potential of the patient 1 had improved.

Conclusion: TRH may be effective for treating patients with advanced SSPE.