Clinical features of patients with anti-leucine-rich glioma inactivated-1 protein associated encephalitis: a Chinese case series.

PURPOSE: Antibodies against leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) are associated with limbic encephalitis and faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS). We present a large series of Han Chinese patients for further clinical refinement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients were tested. Clinical information of patients with serum anti‑LGI1antibody positivity was retrospectively reviewed, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS: The median onset age of the 24 patients was 56.9 years. Among these cases, 18 (75%) patients presented with new‑onset refractory seizures, 18 (75%) patients had memory deficits, eight (33.3%) patients had a personality changes and five (20.8%) patients had a disturbance of consciousness. FBDS was observed in nine (37.5%) patients and five of them presented with FBDS as the initial symptom. No cancer was detected in any patient by CT scans. Fourteen (58.3%) patients had hyponatremia. Lymphocytic pleocytosis and protein concentration elevation in CSF were detected in four (16.7%) and six (25%) patients, respectively. Twelve (50%) patients showed paroxysmal sharp/spike waves and slow waves on EEG and seven (29.2%) patients showed mesial temporal region abnormalities by MRI scans. All patients received antiepileptic drugs and immunotherapy. After treatments, the modified Rankin scores of all patients were decreased.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that Han Chinese patients with anti‑LGI1 antibody associated encephalitis had prominent clinical manifestations including seizures, memory deficits and FBDS. They showed neurological improvement with timely immunotherapy. Prompt treatments after rapid clinical recognition is important to improve the prognosis of patients.