Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis causes subacute deficits of memory and cognition, often followed by suppressed level of consciousness or coma. It is a difficult clinical situation due to the similarities in the clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings with many forms of other encephalitides. M...

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Main Authors: Satish Bawri, Munindra Goswami, Ashok Kumar Kayal, Moromi Das
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-07-01
Series:Assam Journal of Internal Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajoim.ajoim_2_21
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author Satish Bawri
Munindra Goswami
Ashok Kumar Kayal
Moromi Das
author_facet Satish Bawri
Munindra Goswami
Ashok Kumar Kayal
Moromi Das
author_sort Satish Bawri
collection DOAJ
description Background: Autoimmune encephalitis causes subacute deficits of memory and cognition, often followed by suppressed level of consciousness or coma. It is a difficult clinical situation due to the similarities in the clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings with many forms of other encephalitides. Materials and Methods: The aim of this article is to study the clinical profile of autoimmune encephalitis. This is a prospective observational study and conducted from August 2014 to July 2017 at Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati. Detailed neurological evaluation along with investigation was done in all the patients. Results and Observation: All patients are diagnosed and categorized as per diagnosis criteria led done by Graus et al. A total of 18 patients were included among which 13 (72%) patients were definite, 3 (16.66%) on probable, and 2 (11%) were possible. Out of the 18 patients, 8 (44%) were males and 10 (56%) were females. The average mean age was 31 ± 4 years and the duration of symptom was 7 weeks ± 4 days. Most common findings were psychiatric symptoms 16 (89%), cognitive decline and short-term memory loss 15 (83%), seizure 14 (78%), movement disorders (hyperkinetic) 13(72%), speech abnormalities 12 (67%), and autonomic dysfunction 4 (22%). Baseline investigations and cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis along with neural autoantibodies positive in 13 (72%) patients. Electroencephalogram showed epileptiform discharges along with slowing. Magnetic resonance imaging is done in every patient and consistent with the finding of autoimmune encephalitis. Discussion and Conclusion: In the present study, patients presented with varied clinical features with positive neural autoantibodies. A broad approach to testing for infectious diseases and various autoantibodies can lead to the correct diagnosis.
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spelling doaj-art-603e133aaeda48638df7c98a594d6bec2025-08-20T01:55:11ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAssam Journal of Internal Medicine2278-82392021-07-01112303610.4103/ajoim.ajoim_2_21Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based StudySatish BawriMunindra GoswamiAshok Kumar KayalMoromi DasBackground: Autoimmune encephalitis causes subacute deficits of memory and cognition, often followed by suppressed level of consciousness or coma. It is a difficult clinical situation due to the similarities in the clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings with many forms of other encephalitides. Materials and Methods: The aim of this article is to study the clinical profile of autoimmune encephalitis. This is a prospective observational study and conducted from August 2014 to July 2017 at Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati. Detailed neurological evaluation along with investigation was done in all the patients. Results and Observation: All patients are diagnosed and categorized as per diagnosis criteria led done by Graus et al. A total of 18 patients were included among which 13 (72%) patients were definite, 3 (16.66%) on probable, and 2 (11%) were possible. Out of the 18 patients, 8 (44%) were males and 10 (56%) were females. The average mean age was 31 ± 4 years and the duration of symptom was 7 weeks ± 4 days. Most common findings were psychiatric symptoms 16 (89%), cognitive decline and short-term memory loss 15 (83%), seizure 14 (78%), movement disorders (hyperkinetic) 13(72%), speech abnormalities 12 (67%), and autonomic dysfunction 4 (22%). Baseline investigations and cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis along with neural autoantibodies positive in 13 (72%) patients. Electroencephalogram showed epileptiform discharges along with slowing. Magnetic resonance imaging is done in every patient and consistent with the finding of autoimmune encephalitis. Discussion and Conclusion: In the present study, patients presented with varied clinical features with positive neural autoantibodies. A broad approach to testing for infectious diseases and various autoantibodies can lead to the correct diagnosis.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajoim.ajoim_2_21autoimmune encephalitisimmunotherapyneural autoantibodies
spellingShingle Satish Bawri
Munindra Goswami
Ashok Kumar Kayal
Moromi Das
Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study
Assam Journal of Internal Medicine
autoimmune encephalitis
immunotherapy
neural autoantibodies
title Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study
title_full Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study
title_fullStr Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study
title_short Clinical Profile of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Hospital-Based Study
title_sort clinical profile of autoimmune encephalitis hospital based study
topic autoimmune encephalitis
immunotherapy
neural autoantibodies
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ajoim.ajoim_2_21
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AT ashokkumarkayal clinicalprofileofautoimmuneencephalitishospitalbasedstudy
AT moromidas clinicalprofileofautoimmuneencephalitishospitalbasedstudy