1.Clinical analysis of 207 children with antibody-mediated central nervous system autoimmune diseases
Qingyun KANG ; Liming YANG ; Hongmei LIAO ; Caishi LIAO ; Zeshu NING ; Liwen WU
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine 2023;22(8):808-814
Objective:To investigate the clinical features, treatments and prognoses of children with antibody-mediated central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune diseases.Methods:Two hundred and seven children with antibody-mediated CNS autoimmune diseases confirmed by anti-neuronal antibody detection in blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid in Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Hunan Province from June 2014 to May 2022 were enrolled. Their clinical features, laboratory and imaging data, treatment regimens and prognoses were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Of the 207 children, 117 were positive for anti- N-methyl- D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies, 63 for anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies, 32 for anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies, 6 for anti-contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) antibodies, 3 for anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibodies, 2 for anti-gamma-aminobutyric acid type B receptor (GABABR) antibodies, and 1 for anti-anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibodies. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) was the most common clinical phenotype among the children, followed by optic neuritis (ON). Behavioral abnormalities, seizures, and involuntary movements were the most common clinical presentations of anti-NMDAR encephalitis for these children, while fever, headache, and disturbance of consciousness or vision were the most common symptoms for children with MOG antibody disease or autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy. The coexistence of multiple anti-neural antibodies was detected in 17 patients, among which 10 had coexistent anti-NMDAR and anti-MOG antibodies (including 1 with anti-GFAP antibody), 3 had coexistent anti-NMDAR and anti-GFAP antibodies, 3 had coexistent anti-MOG and anti-GFAP antibodies, 2 had coexistent anti-NMDAR and anti-CASPR2 antibodies, and 1 had coexistent anti-GABABR and anti-CASPR2 antibodies. In our cohort, of the 202 children examined for cerebrospinal fluid, 154 had cerebrospinal fluid leukocytosis and 27 had elevated protein. Of the 203 children had electroencephalography, 179 was abnormal; abnormal EEG was mainly manifested as focal or global slow waves, and epileptic discharge in some children; 205 patients received immunotherapy. All survivors were followed up for at least 6 months; 164 recovered completely, 40 had varied sequelae, and 3 died; 28 had one or more relapses. Conclusion:Antibody-mediated CNS autoimmune diseases occur in children at all ages; most such pediatric patients have good response to immunotherapy, enjoying low mortality rate; however, some survivors have relapsing risk.