Document Detail


An effective immunotherapy regimen for VGKC antibody-positive limbic encephalitis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20660916     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Voltage-gated potassium channel antibody-positive limbic encephalitis (VGKC+LE) frequently improves with immunotherapy, although the optimum regimen is unknown. The effectiveness of a combination immunomodulatory regimen was tested in consecutive VGKC+LE patients. METHODS: This was an open-label prospective study of nine VGKC+LE patients. All patients had plasma exchange (50 ml/kg), intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg) and intravenous methylprednisolone (1 g×3), followed by maintenance oral prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day). Mycophenolate (2 g/day) was used in the first three patients. Assessments included serial clinical, cognitive, brain MRI and VGKC antibody testing. RESULTS: Within 1 week, seizures and hyponatraemia remitted in all affected patients. Cognitive function improved in all patients within 3 months. MRI appearances improved substantially within 9 months, with remission of inflammation in the majority of patients. All achieved immunological remission with normal VGKC antibody titres within 1-4 months. Major adverse events of therapy included one septicaemia and one thrombosis on plasma exchange and one death from sepsis after incidental bowel surgery. One patient remains in remission after 40 months of follow up, 26 months after being off all treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our immunotherapy regimen was effective for the treatment of the clinical, cognitive and immunological features of VGKC+LE. Radiological improvement was seen in the majority. Pending randomised controlled trials, this regimen is proposed for the treatment of VGKC+LE.
Authors:
S H Wong; M D Saunders; A J Larner; K Das; I K Hart
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Clinical Trial; Journal Article     Date:  2010-07-26
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry     Volume:  81     ISSN:  1468-330X     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr.     Publication Date:  2010 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-27     Completed Date:  2010-10-19     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  2985191R     Medline TA:  J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1167-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool, UK. suiwong@doctors.org.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aged
Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
Cognition Disorders / complications,  drug therapy*
Drug Therapy, Combination
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulins / administration & dosage*
Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage
Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
Limbic Encephalitis / complications,  drug therapy*,  immunology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Methylprednisolone / administration & dosage*
Middle Aged
Mycophenolic Acid / analogs & derivatives*,  therapeutic use
Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / immunology*
Prednisolone / therapeutic use*
Serotyping
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Anti-Inflammatory Agents; 0/Immunoglobulins; 0/Immunologic Factors; 0/Immunosuppressive Agents; 0/Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; 128794-94-5/mycophenolate mofetil; 24280-93-1/Mycophenolic Acid; 50-24-8/Prednisolone; 83-43-2/Methylprednisolone

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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