A case of relieving thymoma after conservative management of anti‐gamma‐aminobutyric acid receptor type A encephalitis

Abstract

Abstract Anti‐gamma‐aminobutyric acid receptor type A (GABAA) encephalitis is a relatively rare autoimmune encephalitis, and often associated with thymoma. Here, a 44‐year‐old female was diagnosed as having a thymoma with autoimmune encephalitis. At 4‐month follow‐up she was without recurrence of symptoms after treatment with methylprednisolone pulse therapy and immunotherapy. This case report provides a reference for the identification of this type of paraneoplastic encephalitis and for a therapeutic schedule. It also highlights that conservative treatment may be effective for patients with a tumor and GABAA encephalitis.

Keywords

• encephalitis
• conservative treatment
• gamma‐aminobutyric acid receptor type A
• thymoma