Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Cerebral Ventriculitis/drug therapy* ; Encephalitis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Pneumonia/etiology*

Antibodies ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; therapeutic use ; Limbic Encephalitis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, GABA ; immunology

Adult ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis ; drug therapy ; Cystectomy ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo report 21 cases of postinfectious encephatitis according to ICD-NA, postinfectious/parainfectious encephalitis is an independent disease.

METHODSUsing the uniform criteria provided by The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we diagnosed postinfectious encephalitis among patients admitted to The First Hospital of Harbin Medical University and analyzed the characteristics of these cases.

RESULTSAll the patients had histories of preceding infection, and most of them suffered from mental and conscious disorders. Adrenocortical hormone was effective.

CONCLUSIONSPostinfectious encephalitis is an independent disease. According to this article, about 10% patients with encephalitis admitted to our hospital are postinfectious.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Encephalitis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infection ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the neuro-protective effect of Xuesaitong Injection (XST) on brain inflammatory response after transient focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats.

METHODSFocal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion models of male rats were induced by transient occlusion for 2 h of middle cerebral artery (MCA) which was followed by 24 h reperfusion. XST was administered through intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg at 4 h after the onset of ischemia. After reperfusion for 24 h, the neurological function score was evaluated, the brain edema was detected with dry-wet weight method, the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) of ischemic cerebral cortex and caudate putamen was determined by spectrophotometry and immunohistochemistry respectively.

RESULTSXST not only lowered neurological function score at the dose of 50 mg/kg, but reduced brain edema and inhibited MPO activity and ICAM-1 expression as compared with the ischemia/reperfusion model group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONXST has a definite effect on inhibiting the expression of ICAM-1 and neutrophil infiltration in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion when treatment started at 4 h after ischemia onset, and also attenuates inflammation in the infarcted cerebral area.

Animals ; Brain Edema ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Encephalitis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Neutrophils ; immunology ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Saponins ; pharmacology

Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is the most common cause of opportunistic central nervous system infection in advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. The incidence of TE has fallen markedly after the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy and cotrimoxazole chemoprophylaxis. TE linked to AIDS is a rare entity in Korea, but we must consider TE in the differential diagnosis of the opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. We report a case of toxoplasmic encephalitis in an advanced AIDS patient presenting as progressive right facial palsy.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Chemoprevention ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Encephalitis* ; Facial Paralysis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Opportunistic Infections ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

Chicken pox is highly contagious and occurs most often in childhood. In normal children, systemic symptoms are usually mild and serious complications are rare. But in adults, especially in immunocompromised patients, it is more likely to be associated with life-threatening complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis and sepsis. A 38-year-old woman was admitted due to headache, fever and multiple umbilicated vesicles on face, trunk and both extremities for 3 days. She underwent chemotherapy for the breast cancer 20 days prior to admission. Based on typical clinical presentation and skin biopsy, she was diagnosed with chicken pox. Despite 5 days of intensive intravenous antiviral therapy (Acyclovir® 30 mg/kg/day), fever and headache continued and epigastric pain occurred. Finally, the patient was recovered from varicella after additional 7 days of antiviral therapy. Generally, old age or immunocompromised hosts have declined cellular immunity, so the incidence of chicken pox is higher and the clinical course is more severe. Herein, we report a case of chicken pox in the patient who underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer, requiring intensive treatment and close observation for systemic symptoms.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chickenpox* ; Chickens* ; Child ; Drug Therapy* ; Encephalitis ; Extremities ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunocompromised Host* ; Incidence ; Pneumonia ; Sepsis ; Skin

Adult ; Bed Rest ; adverse effects ; Coma ; chemically induced ; complications ; Encephalitis ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; etiology ; Status Epilepticus ; complications ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of cyclophosphamide as a second-line drug in the treatment of children with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis.

METHODSSix children with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, who showed poor response to steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin, were given cyclophosphamide as a second-line immunotherapy. Follow-up was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cyclophosphamide.

RESULTSAfter first-line immunotherapy for 1-4 weeks, the six patients had reduced psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and involuntary movements; three patients had an improved level of consciousness and were able to make simple conversations. However, all the patients still showed slow response, as well as cortical dysfunction symptoms such as aphasia, alexia, agraphia, acalculia, apraxia, and movement disorders. The six patients continued to receive cyclophosphamide as a sequential therapy. They were able to answer simple questions 7 days after treatment. Three school-aged patients were able to make simple calculation, had greatly improved reading and writing ability, and almost recovered self-care ability 2-3 weeks later. The cognitive function of the six patients was almost restored to the level before the onset of disease, and their living ability returned to normal 2-3 months later. During the treatment period, there were no adverse reactions or abnormal results of routine blood test and liver and kidney function tests.

CONCLUSIONSChildren with anti-NMDAR encephalitis should be given appropriate immunotherapy as soon as possible. Cyclophosphamide as a sequential therapy has good efficacy and safety.

Adolescent ; Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cognition ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Male

OBJECTIVERasmussen syndrome (RS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown origin, usually affecting one brain hemisphere. The present study aimed to analyze the electroclinical characteristics and treatment of RS.

METHODSThe medical records of 16 children with RS were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSOf the 16 children, 8 were males and 8 were females. The age of onset was from 1 year and 11 months to 11 years and 6 months. The first symptom was seizure in all patients. The main seizure type was partial motor seizures. In all the patients, seizures gradually became frequent and in the form of epilepsia partialis continua (EPC). Thirteen cases developed hemiparesis. Fixed hemiparesis occurred from 2 months to 3 years after the onset of seizures. The cognitive deterioration was present in 14. The EEG background activity was abnormal in all the cases, asymmetric slow wave disturbances were bilateral but with unilateral predominance in 11, unilateral delta or theta wave in 8. The presence of interictal epileptiform discharges were found in all cases, unilateral in 11 and bilateral in 5. Seizures were recorded in all patients, no electroclinical correlation was found in 5. Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed progressive unihemispheric or focal cortical atrophy in all cases. Six cases transiently showed focal cortical swelling or T2/FLAIR hyperintense signal on early scans. Antiepileptic drugs were not effective in any of the patients. Three of 10 patients receiving immunoglobulin, and 4 of 8 receiving corticosteroids, had some reduction of seizure frequency for a short period. Six patients accepted functional hemispherectomy, in 4 of them seizure no longer occurred and cognitive function was improved. The results of multiple subpial transection in 2 cases and focal resection in one patient were disappointing.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical features of RS were refractory partial epilepsy, progressive hemiplegia and cognitive deterioration. The EEG background was asymmetric with slow wave activity, interictal epileptiform discharges were unilateral or bilateral, no electroclinical correlation occurred. Serial MRI showed progressive unihemispheric focal cortical atrophy. Antiepileptic drugs were not effective for RS. In some patients, immunoglobulin or corticosteroids could reduce seizure frequency in the short term. Functional hemispherectomy could lead to seizure control and prevent further development of neurological impairment and cognitive deterioration.

Anticonvulsants ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Electroencephalography ; Encephalitis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Epilepsia Partialis Continua ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Female ; Hemispherectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Treatment Outcome