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Abstract Details

Mimickers of Autoimmune Encephalitis: Two Pediatric Cases
Child Neurology and Developmental Neurology
P12 - Poster Session 12 (12:00 PM-1:00 PM)
5-012

To present two cases that mimic the clinical presentation of autoimmune encephalitis (AE).

Autoimmune encephalitis has been increasingly recognized as a disease entity causing many symptoms including psychiatric, behavioral changes, seizures, movement disorders, and autonomic dysfunction. Here we highlight mimickers of AE.

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Case 1. Eleven-year-old boy presented with long-standing intellectual disability (ID), including speech and cognitive delay since age 3 years, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and abnormal EEG. Six months prior to presentation, the patient developed aggression and impulsivity 1 week after starting azithromycin for mycoplasma. He was diagnosed with PANDAS by Cunningham panel. Rage gradually resolved but continued to have ID and impulsivity. Stimulant medications were not helpful. He had no clinical seizure events but routine electroencephalography (EEG) showed frontally predominant generalized spike and slow-wave complexes with moderate background slowing for which valproic acid was started. MRI brain was unremarkable. Thyroid peroxidase antibodies were previously elevated to 193 IU/mL but improved to 103 IU/ml without immunotherapy. Epilepsy gene panel resulted a pathogenic c916C>T;pR306C heterozygous mutation in the KCNB1 gene, which can cause seizures and encephalopathy.

 

Case 2. Thirteen-year-old girl with autism and two previous admissions for altered mental status, motor impairment, and dysarthria presented to hospital for five days of regurgitation, odd behaviors, language regression, agitation, affection, and biting. She was started on multiple psychotropic medications without improvement and had two psychiatric admissions for aggression. One year later, she reported weeklong episodes of insomnia followed by loss of cognitive, emotional, and activities of daily living skills. Prior evaluations over two years included cerebrospinal fluid, neuroimaging, and EEG that were unremarkable. Chromosomal microarray showed 22q13.3 deletion, consistent with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, which includes SHANK3 deletion and developmental regression.

A wide differential diagnosis and work-up is necessary to diagnose and appropriately manage patients who present with symptoms concerning for AE.

Authors/Disclosures
Jenny Lin, MD (Center for Advanced Pediatrics)
PRESENTER
Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose.
Grace Gombolay, MD, FÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ (Emory University/Children'S Healthcare of Atlanta) The institution of Dr. Gombolay has received research support from CDC. The institution of Dr. Gombolay has received research support from NIH. Dr. Gombolay has a non-compensated relationship as a Board of Trustee with National MS Society -Georgia chapter that is relevant to Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ interests or activities.