International Consensus Recommendations for the Treatment of Pediatric NMDAR Antibody Encephalitis

To create an international consensus treatment recommendation for pediatric NMDA receptor antibody encephalitis (NMDARE).After selection of a panel of 27 experts with representation from all continents, a 2-step Delphi method was adopted to develop consensus on relevant treatment regimens and statements, along with key definitions in pediatric NMDARE (disease severity, failure to improve, and relapse). Finally, an online face-to-face meeting was held to reach consensus (defined as ?75% agreement).Corticosteroids are recommended in all children with NMDARE (pulsed IV preferred), with additional IV immunoglobulin or plasma exchange in severe patients. Prolonged first-line immunotherapy can be offered for up to 3-12 months (oral corticosteroids or monthly IV corticosteroids/immunoglobulin), dependent on disease severity. Second-line treatments are recommended for cases refractory to first-line therapies (rituximab preferred over cyclophosphamide) and should be considered about 2 weeks after first-line initiation. Further immunotherapies for refractory disease 1-3 months after second-line initiation include another second-line treatment (such as cyclophosphamide) and escalation to tocilizumab. Maintenance immune suppression beyond 6 months (such as rituximab redosing or mycophenolate mofetil) is generally not required, except for patients with a more severe course or prolonged impairments and hospitalization. For patients with relapsing disease, second-line and prolonged maintenance therapy should be considered. The treatment of NMDARE following herpes simplex encephalitis should be similar to idiopathic NMDARE. Broad guidance is provided for the total treatment duration (first line, second line, and maintenance), which is dictated by the severity and clinical course (i.e., median 3, 9 and 18 months in the best, average, and worst responders, respectively). Recommendations on the timing of oncologic searches are provided.These international consensus recommendations for the management of pediatric NMDARE aim to standardize the treatment and provide practical guidance for clinicians, rather than absolute rules. A similar recommendation could be applicable to adult patients.Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology

Autoimmune Neurology

Autoimmune neurology is a rapidly developing specialty driven by an increasing recognition of autoimmunity as the cause for a broad set of neurologic disorders and ongoing discovery of new neural autoantibodies associated with recognizable clinical syndromes. The diversity of clinical presentations, unique pathophysiology, and the complexity of available treatments requires a dedicated multidisciplinary team to diagnose and manage patients. In this article, we focus on antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis (AE) to illustrate broader themes applicable to the specialty. We discuss common diagnostic challenges including the utilizat

Data from: Autoimmune encephalitis: a costly condition

Objective: To assess the inpatient hospitalization burden and costs of patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) at a tertiary care institution. Methods: Adult inpatients with AE were identified retrospectively from July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2015. Demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed. Billing data were compared to that of patients with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Charges were adjusted for inflation. Results: Of 244 admissions for encephalitis reviewed, 63 patients met criteria for probable or definite AE. Thirty-one (49%) patients were antibody-positive, and twenty-seven (43%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Median hospital charges per AE patient were over $70k, median length of stay (LOS) was 15 days, and in hospital mortality was 6$173k/ admission vs. non-ICU $50k/ admission, p<0.001). LOS was strongly associated with charges and was driven by delay in diagnosis of AE, prolonged treatment courses, and lack of response to therapy. In comparison with HSE, median hospital charges per AE patient were nearly 4 times higher, median AE LOS was 3 times higher, and total charges over the study period were nearly twice as high. Conclusions: AE patients utilized more inpatient healthcare resources per patient during a ten-year period than HSE at our institution. ICU-admitted AE patients were responsible for a substantially higher financial burden than non-ICU-admitted AE patients. Our data underscore the need for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to improve patient outcomes and decrease hospital burden in AE

Acute flaccid myelitis: cause, diagnosis, and management

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a disabling, polio-like illness mainly affecting children. Outbreaks of AFM have occurred across multiple global regions since 2012, and the disease appears to be caused by non-polio enterovirus infection, posing a major public health challenge. The clinical presentation of flaccid and often profound muscle weakness (which can invoke respiratory failure and other critical complications) can mimic several other acute neurological illnesses. There is no single sensitive and specific test for AFM, and the diagnosis relies on identification of several important clinical, neuroimaging, and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics. Following the acute phase of AFM, patients typically have substantial residual disability and unique long-term rehabilitation needs. In this Review we describe the epidemiology, clinical features, course, and outcomes of AFM to help to guide diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation. Future research directions include further studies evaluating host and pathogen factors, including investigations into genetic, viral, and immunological features of affected patients, host-virus interactions, and investigations of targeted therapeutic approaches to improve the long-term outcomes in this population