Frequency, symptoms, risk factors, and outcomes of autoimmune encephalitis after herpes simplex encephalitis: a prospective observational study and retrospective analysis

Publication date: Available online 23 July 2018Source: The Lancet NeurologyAuthor(s): Thaís Armangue, Marianna Spatola, Alexandru Vlagea, Simone Mattozzi, Marc Cárceles-Cordon, Eloy Martinez-Heras, Sara Llufriu, Jordi Muchart, María Elena Erro, Laura Abraira, German Moris, Luis Monros-Giménez, Íñigo Corral-Corral, Carmen Montejo, Manuel Toledo, Luis Bataller, Gabriela Secondi, Helena Ariño, Eugenia Martínez-Hernández, Manel JuanSummaryBackgroundHerpes simplex encephalitis can trigger autoimmune encephalitis that leads to neurological worsening. We aimed to assess the frequency, symptoms, risk factors, and outcomes of this complication.MethodsWe did a prospective observational study and retrospective analysis. In the prospective observational part of this study, we included patients with herpes simplex encephalitis diagnosed by neurologists, paediatricians, or infectious disease specialists in 19 secondary and tertiary Spanish centres (Cohort A). Outpatient follow-up was at 2, 6, and 12 months from onset of herpes simplex encephalitis. We studied another group of patients retrospectively, when they developed autoimmune encephalitis after herpes simplex encephalitis (Cohort B). We compared demographics and clinical features of patients who developed autoimmune encephalitis with those who did not, and in patients who developed autoimmune encephalitis we compared these features by age group (patients ≤4 years compared with patients>4 years). We also used multivariable ...
Source: The Lancet Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research