Long-term remission with rituximab in refractory leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 antibody encephalitis

J Neuroimmunol. 2014 Jun 15;271(1-2):66-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.03.012. Epub 2014 Mar 21.

Abstract

Autoimmune encephalitis associated with antibodies to leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) is recently described and there is a lack of detailed reports on the treatment of relapsing or refractory cases and long-term outcomes. Two case reports are presented. Both cases had faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS) and received rituximab after relapsing or refractory disease. Both cases achieved sustained clinical remission of up to 15 and 56 months respectively. Rituximab use allowed withdrawal of corticosteroids and was well tolerated. Randomized clinical trials are needed in LGI1 encephalitis and other autoimmune encephalitides.

Keywords: Autoantibody; Cognition; Encephalitis; LGI1; Rituximab; VGKC.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies / blood*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / therapeutic use*
  • Encephalitis / blood*
  • Encephalitis / drug therapy*
  • Encephalitis / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Male
  • Proteins / immunology*
  • Rituximab
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Seizures / drug therapy*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • LGI1 protein, human
  • Proteins
  • Rituximab