Clinical Spectrum of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Case Series from Western Rajasthan

Abstract

Autoimmune Encephalitis (AE) is a challenging diagnosis due to the similarities in the clinical, imaging and laboratory findings among many forms of infectious encephalitis. Patients generally have impaired memory and cognition and neuropsychiatric manifestations over a period of days or weeks. However, a careful history and examination may show early clues to particular autoimmune causes, such as seizures, dystonia, abnormal movements, psychosis, or the presence of particular tumours. Appropriate autoantibody testing can confirm specific diagnoses. When infectious etiology is excluded, AE must be considered which is potentially reversible with immunomodulation therapy. Here, we describe five patients with AE: four auto-antibody positive, one auto-antibody negative, treated during last 20 months, presenting with different syndromes and first ever reported from western Rajasthan. Hence, this case series highlights the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment leading to significant reduction of mortality and morbidity.

Keywords

• neuronal autoantibodies
• psychiatric symptoms
• seizure