Clinical Characteristics of Cognitive Impairment and 1-Year Outcome in Patients With Anti-LGI1 Antibody Encephalitis

Outcome and Sequelae of Autoimmune Encephalitis

Autoimmune etiologies are a common cause for encephalitis. The clinical syndromes consistent with autoimmune encephalitis are both distinct and increasingly recognized, but less is known about persisting sequelae or outcomes. We searched PubMed for reports on outcomes after autoimmune encephalitis. Studies assessing validated, quantitative outcomes were included. We performed a narrative review of the published literature of outcomes after autoimmune encephalitis. We found 146 studies that produced outcomes data. The mortality rates were 6%-19% and the relapse risks were 10%-62%. Most patients achieved a good outcome based on a score on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of ≤2. Forty-nine studies evaluated outcomes beyond mRS; these studies investigated cognitive outcome, psychiatric sequelae, neurological deficits, global function, and quality-of-life/patient-reported outcomes using various tools at varying time points after the index hospital discharge. These more-detailed assessments revealed that most patients had persistent impairments, with frequent deficits in cognitive function, especially memory and attention. Depression and anxiety were also common. Many of these sequelae continued to improve over months or even years after the acute illness. While we found that lasting impairments were common among survivors of autoimmune encephalitis, additional research is needed to better understand the nature and impact of these sequelae. Standardized evaluation protocols are needed to improve the ability to compare outcomes across studies, guide rehabilitation strategies, and inform outcomes of interest in treatment trials as the field advances.

Efficacy of immunotherapy and prognosis in anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for LGI1 antibody encephalitis, and consider the predictors of poor outcomes following immunotherapy.

METHODS

We searched PubMed and Embase for articles reporting the immunotherapy data of anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients. The proportions of patients with poor outcomes (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score > 2) at 3 months, 12 months, and the last follow-up, as well as the odds ratio [OR] of predictors were pooled.

RESULTS

The review included 162 articles with 1066 patients. The proportion of patients with poor functional outcomes was 21% at 3 months, 14% at 12 months, and 14% at the last follow-up after receiving immunotherapy. The proportion of patients with reported relapse was 16.6%. The mean duration from onset to the first relapse was 15.6 months. Predictors significantly associated with poor outcomes were age (increase of 1 year), the presence of cognitive impairment, and CSF LGI1 antibody positive. We did not find a statistically significant association between the worst mRS score in the acute phase, the presence of faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS), days from symptom onset to immunotherapy, second-line treatment, maintenance immunotherapy, or follow-up time and outcomes.

INTERPRETATION

Although most patients respond to immunotherapy, a minority of patients still have poor outcomes. Advanced age, cognitive impairment, and CSF LGI1 antibody positive are associated with an increased risk of poor outcomes. However, due to the insufficiency of the data, these conclusions need to be interpreted with caution.

Anti-Leucine-Rich Glioma-Inactivated 1 (Anti-LGI 1) Limbic Encephalitis and New-Onset Psychosis: A Case Report

Anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 limbic encephalitis (Anti-LGI 1 LE) is a subtype of autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and the most common cause of limbic encephalitis (LE). Clinically, it can have an acute to sub-acute onset of confusion and cognitive impairment, facial-brachial dystonic seizures (FDBS), and psychiatric disturbances. The clinical manifestations are varied, and its diagnosis requires high clinical suspicion to avoid delay in the treatment. When patients manifest mostly psychiatric symptoms, the disease may not be immediately recognized. We aim to report a case of Anti-LGI 1 LE in which the patient presented acute psychotic symptoms and was initially diagnosed with unspecified psychosis. We present a case of a patient with sub-acute behavioral changes, short-term memory loss, and insomnia who was brought to the emergency department after a sudden episode of disorganized behavior and speech. On medical examination, the patient presented persecutory delusions and indirect signs of auditory hallucinations. An initial diagnosis of unspecified psychosis was performed. Investigations revealed right temporal epileptiform activity in the electroencephalogram (EEG), abnormal bilateral hyperintensities in the temporal lobes in the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a positive titer of anti-LGI 1 antibodies (Abs) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), leading to a diagnosis of anti-LGI 1 LE. The patient was treated with intravenous (IV) steroids and immunoglobulin and later with IV rituximab. In patients that predominantly present with psychotic and cognitive disorders the diagnosis of anti-LGI 1 LE can be delayed predisposing them to a poorer prognosis (permanent cognitive impairment - especially short-term memory loss - and persistent seizures). It is necessary to be aware of this diagnosis when evaluating acute to sub-acute psychiatric illness developing with cognitive impairment (specially with memory loss) to avoid diagnosis delays and long-term sequelae.

Prognostic significance and extra-hypothalamus dysfunction of hyponatremia in anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 encephalitis

This study aimed to investigate prognostic significance and brain metabolic mechanism of hyponatremia in anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (LGI1) encephalitis. After adjusting for confounders, patients with moderate and severe hyponatremia had significantly increased risk of poor functional outcome and sequelae of seizures. In addition, serum sodium was negatively correlated with normalized ratio of the standardized uptake value of medial temporal lobe (MTL), basal ganglia (BG), and hypothalamus on positron emission tomography (PET) and which was further validated using voxel-wise analysis, suggesting an extra-hypothalamus (BG and MTL) localization for hyponatremia.

Review and meta-analysis of neuropsychological findings in autoimmune limbic encephalitis with autoantibodies against LGI1, CASPR2, and GAD65 and their response to immunotherapy

OBJECTIVES

It is assumed that autoimmune limbic encephalitis (ALE) demonstrates distinct neuropsychological manifestations with differential responses to immunotherapy according to which associated autoantibody (AAB), if any, is identified. Towards investigating whether this is the case, this study aims to summarize respective findings from the primary literature on ALE with AABs binding to cell surface neural antigens and ALE with AABs against intracellular neural antigens.

METHODS

We chose ALE with AABs against leucine-rich, glioma inactivated protein 1 (LGI1) and contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) as the most frequent cell surface membrane antigens, and ALE with AABs to Embryonic Lethal, Abnormal Vision, Like 1 (ELAVL) proteins (anti-Hu) and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) as the most frequent intracellular neural antigens. The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched on March 1st, 2021 for neuropsychological test and -screening data from patients with ALE of these AAB-types. Findings were reviewed according to AAB-type and immunotherapy status and are presented in a review section and are further statistically evaluated and presented in a meta-analysis section in this publication.

RESULTS

Of the 1304 initial hits, 32 studies on ALE with AABs against LGI1, CASPR2, and GAD65 reporting cognitive screening data could be included in a review. In ALE with AABs against LGI1, CASPR2 and GAD65, memory deficits are the most frequently reported deficits. However, deficits in attention and executive functions including working memory, fluency, and psychological function have also been reported. This review shows that ALE patients with AABs against both LGI1 and CASPR2 show higher percentages of neuropsychological deficits compared to ALE patients with AABs against GAD65 before and after initiation of immunotherapy. However, the methodologies used in these studies were heterogenous, and longitudinal studies were not comparable. Moreover, 21 studies including ALE patients with AABs against LGI1 and GAD65 were also suitable for meta-analysis. No suitable study on ALE with AABs against ELAVL proteins could be identified. Meta-Analyses could be executed for cognitive screening data and only partially, due to the small number of studies. However, in statistical analysis no consistent effect of AAB or immunotherapy on performance in cognitive screening tests could be found.

CONCLUSION

Currently, there is no definite evidence supporting the notion that different AAB-types of ALE exhibit distinct neuropsychological manifestations and respond differently to immunotherapy. Overall, we could not identify evidence for any effect of immunotherapy on cognition in ALE. More systematic, in-depth and longitudinal neuropsychological assessments of patients with different AAB-types of ALE are required in the future to investigate these aspects.

Simplified regimen of combined low-dose rituximab for autoimmune encephalitis with neuronal surface antibodies

Background

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) with neuronal surface antibodies (NSAbs) presents pathogenesis mediated by B cell-secreting antibodies. Rituximab is a second-line choice for the treatment for AE with NSAbs, which can cause B cell depletion via targeting CD20. However, the optimal protocol and dosage of rituximab combined with first-line therapy for NSAbs-associated AE remains unclear so far. In this study, we explored the efficacy and safety of low-dose rituximab combined with first-line treatment for NSAbs-associated AE.

Methods

Fifty-nine AE patients with NSAbs were enrolled, and retrospectively divided into common first-line therapy (41 patients) and combined low-dose rituximab (100 mg induction weekly with 3 circles, followed by 100 mg reinfusion every 6 months) with first-line therapy (18 patients). Outcome measures included changes in the Clinical Assessment Scale for Autoimmune Encephalitis (CASE) score (primary endpoint), changes in the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), the patient and caregiver Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) score at each visit (baseline, discharge, 6 months, 12 months and last follow-up) between two groups (secondary endpoint), as well as oral prednisone dosage, relapse and adverse effects during follow-up.

Results

Compared with traditional first-line therapy group, for primary outcome, CASE scores at last follow-up were significantly improved in combined rituximab group, as well as markedly improving changes of CASE scores between baseline and each visit. While changes of mRS, MMSE and NPI scores, as secondary endpoint, were all markedly accelerating improvement between baseline and each visit, as well as both oral prednisone dosage and relapse were also greatly reduced during follow-up. Meanwhile, longitudinal analysis in combination of rituximab cohort also revealed persistently marked amelioration in a series of scales from baseline even more than 1 year. Moreover, analysis in rituximab subgroup showed no difference in any clinical outcomes between combination with single first-line and with repeated first-line treatment (≥ 2 times), while compared to delayed combination with rituximab (> 3 months), early initiation of combination (≤ 3 months) might achieve better improvements in CASE and MMSE assessment even 1 year later. No rituximab-correlated serious adverse events have been reported in our patients.

Conclusions

Our simplified regimen of combined low-dose rituximab firstly showed significantly accelerating short-term recovery and long-term improvement for AE with NSAbs, in parallel with markedly reduced prednisone dosage and clinical relapses. Moreover, opportunity of protocol showed earlier initiation (≤ 3 months) with better long-term improvement.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02622-8.

Association between clinical factors and orofacial dyskinesias in anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We aimed to determine whether demographic information, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and imaging features are associated with orofacial dyskinesias (OFLD) in patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, patients who were diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were enrolled. All patients' factors, including demographic information, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and imaging features, were obtained at the time of hospitalization. The neurological function was assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between clinical factors and OFLD.

RESULTS

In total, 119 patients (median age: 28.0 [19.0-41.0] years; 67 females) were recruited. Of 119 patients, 44 (37.0%) had OFLD. OFLD was associated with increased mRS at admission, serum sodium, lumbar puncture pressure, female biologic sex, fever, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, impaired consciousness, autonomic dysfunction, and central hypoventilation in univariate logistic regression, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that female biologic sex (odds ratios [OR], 4.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-17.64; p = .021), increased mRS at admission (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.18-3.71; p = .011), psychiatric symptoms (OR, 7.27; 95% CI, 1.20-43.91; p = .031), and seizures (OR, 5.11; 95% CI, 1.22-21.43; p = .026) were associated with OFLD, after adjusting for confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis suggests that the following clinical factors are associated with OFLD: female biologic sex, increased mRS at admission, psychiatric symptoms, and seizures.

The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratios Are Independently Associated With the Severity of Autoimmune Encephalitis

Background

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) are biomarkers that may reflect inflammatory status in some immune-related diseases. This study aims to investigate the association of NLR and MLR with the severity and prognosis of autoimmune encephalitis (AE).

Methods

A total of 199 patients diagnosed with AE in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2015 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The Clinical Assessment Scale for Autoimmune Encephalitis (CASE) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were used to evaluate the severity of the patients at admission, and the patients were divided into mild group (CASE ≤ 4) and severe group (CASE ≥ 5) according to the CASE score. Poor prognosis was described as an mRS of 3 or more at 12 months. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for the severity and prognosis of AE.

Results

NLR and MLR of severe group were significantly higher than that of mild group. NLR and MLR were positively correlated with the CASE score (r = 0.659, P < 0.001; r = 0.533, P < 0.001) and the mRS score (r = 0.609, P < 0.001;r = 0.478, P < 0.001) in AE patients. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that NLR (OR = 1.475, 95%CI: 1.211-1.796, P < 0.001) and MLR (OR = 15.228, 95%CI: 1.654-140.232, P = 0.016) were independent risk factors for the severity of AE. In addition, the CASE score and the mRS score were positively correlated (r = 0.849, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the CASE at admission (OR = 1.133, 95%CI: 1.043-1.229, P = 0.003) and age (OR = 1.105, 95%CI: 1.062-1.150, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the poor prognosis of AE patients. The NLR and MLR at admission and whether they decreased after immunotherapy were not associated with the prognosis of AE patients (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

NLR and MLR, readily available and widespread inflammatory markers, were helpful for clinicians to monitor disease progression and identify potentially severe patients of AE early to optimize clinical treatment decisions.

Clinical Features, Immunotherapy, and Outcomes of Anti-Leucine-Rich Glioma-Inactivated-1 Encephalitis

OBJECTIVE

The investigators aimed to explore the clinical characteristics, immunotherapy, and outcomes of patients with antileucine-rich glioma-inactivated-1 (anti-LGI1) encephalitis.

METHODS

Data on participants' clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, radiological and electroencephalogram (EEG) features, treatment, and outcomes from January 2012 to December 2016 were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess the factors associated with patient functional outcome. Forty-three patients were enrolled in the study, with a predominance of males (65.1%). The median age at onset was 57 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 44.0-65.0). The median time from onset to diagnosis was 60 days (IQR: 37.0-127.0).

RESULTS

The main clinical manifestations included epilepsy (100%), faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS; 44.2%), cognitive dysfunction (95.3%), neuropsychiatric disturbances (76.7%), sleep disorders (58.1%), and disturbance of consciousness (48.8%). Twenty-two patients (51.2%) had hyponatremia, 31 (72.1%) had abnormal EEG results, and 30 (69.8%) had abnormal brain MRI scans, mainly involving the hippocampus (76.7%) or temporal lobe (40%). Twenty of 34 patients (58.8%) in a follow-up MRI examination exhibited hippocampal atrophy. Twenty-five patients (58.2%) were administered corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin, whereas 17 patients were treated only with corticosteroids. Forty-one patients (95.3%) had favorable outcomes after a median of 21.5 months (IQR: 7-43) of follow-up. Serum sodium level was a factor associated with a disabled status (odds ratio=0.81, 95% CI=0.66, 0.98, p=0.03). Anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients were characterized by seizures, FBDS, cognitive deficits, neuropsychiatric disturbances, and hyponatremia.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis are nonparaneoplastic, have low recurrence rates, and have favorable prognostic outcomes. Rapid evaluation, prompt immunotherapy, and long-term follow-up are essential in the care of anti-LGI1 encephalitis patients.

Predicting the functional outcomes of anti-LGI1 encephalitis using a random forest model

OBJECTIVES

To establish a model in order to predict the functional outcomes of patients with anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) encephalitis and identify significant predictive factors using a random forest algorithm.

METHODS

Seventy-nine patients with confirmed LGI1 antibodies were retrospectively reviewed between January 2015 and July 2020. Clinical information was obtained from medical records and functional outcomes were followed up in interviews with patients or their relatives. Neurological functional outcome was assessed using a modified Rankin Scale (mRS), the cutoff of which was 2. The prognostic model was established using the random forest algorithm, which was subsequently compared with logistic regression analysis, Naive Bayes and Support vector machine (SVM) metrics based on the area under the curve (AUC) and the accuracy.

RESULTS

A total of 79 patients were included in the final analysis. After a median follow-up of 24 months (range, 8-60 months), 20 patients (25%) experienced poor functional outcomes. A random forest model consisting of 16 variables used to predict the poor functional outcomes of anti-LGI1 encephalitis was successfully constructed with an accuracy of 83% and an F1 score of 60%. In addition, the random forest algorithm demonstrated a more precise predictive performance for poor functional outcomes in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis compared with three other models (AUC, 0.90 vs 0.80 vs 0.70 vs 0.64).

CONCLUSIONS

The random forest model can predict poor functional outcomes of patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis. This model was more accurate and reliable than the logistic regression, Naive Bayes, and SVM algorithm.

Deciphering the contributions of neuroinflammation to neurodegeneration: lessons from antibody-mediated encephalitis and coronavirus disease 2019

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Does neuroinflammation promote neurodegeneration? Does neurodegeneration promote neuroinflammation? Or, is the answer to both questions, yes? These questions have proven challenging to answer in patients with typical age-related neurodegenerative diseases in whom the onset of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration are largely unknown. Patients recovering from diseases associated with abrupt-onset neuroinflammation, including rare forms of antibody-mediated encephalitis (AME) and common complications of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), provide a unique opportunity to untangle the relationship between neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. This review explores the lessons learned from patients with AME and COVID-19.

RECENT FINDINGS

Persistent cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized in patients recovering from AME or COVID-19, yet the drivers of impairment remain largely unknown. Clinical observations, neuroimaging and biofluid biomarkers, and pathological studies imply a link between the severity of acute neuroinflammation, subsequent neurodegeneration, and disease-associated morbidity.

SUMMARY

Data from patients with AME and COVID-19 inform key hypotheses that may be evaluated through future studies incorporating longitudinal biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in larger numbers of recovering patients. The results of these studies may inform the contributors to cognitive impairment in patients with AME and COVID-19, with potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications in patients with age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Evaluating cognitive outcomes in adult patients with acute encephalitis syndrome: a prospective study from a tertiary care center in Nepal

Purpose

Although cognitive impairment is a known complication of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), few studies have evaluated cognitive outcomes in patients with encephalitis. The primary objective of this study was to assess the cognitive profiles of patients diagnosed with AES, which is pivotal for improving rehabilitation strategies and prognostic measures.

Methods

This study was conducted at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Adult patients with AES who met inclusion criteria were enrolled. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool was used to assess cognitive function at admission, discharge, and 3-month follow-up.

Results

Thirty-six patients were enrolled in our study. The mean age of the participants was 43 ± 18 years. Fourteen patients (38.9%) were female, and 22 (61.1%) were male. Tuberculous (TB) meningoencephalitis was present in 14 cases (38.9%), with herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis in 14 (38.9%), bacterial meningoencephalitis in 4 (11.1%), autoimmune encephalitis in 2 (5.6%), and Japanese encephalitis in 2 (5.6%). Patients with bacterial meningoencephalitis had the highest MoCA scores at admission, whereas those with HSV encephalitis had the highest scores at discharge and follow-up. Compared with the scores at admission, the scores at discharge and follow-up increased significantly in patients with TB meningoencephalitis and HSV encephalitis. The MoCA score at discharge was established as a significant predictor of cognitive function at follow-up.

Conclusion

We found that active treatment can improve the outcomes of AES patients with cognitive impairment. Although infectious etiologies are most common in low-income countries such as Nepal, autoimmune etiologies should not be overlooked.

Positive LGI1 Antibodies in CSF and Relapse Relate to Worse Outcome in Anti-LGI1 Encephalitis

Objective

This single-center study was conducted in a cohort of patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis to investigate the factors related to their functional recovery.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the clinical information of patients admitted to Xuanwu Hospital from January 2014 until December 2019, and followed up for at least 12 months.

Results

A total of 67 patients were included, and 57 completed the 12-month follow-up. Most of the patients (55/57, 96.5%) achieved functional improvement after immunotherapy, and 26 (45.6%) became symptom-free. Compared to patients with complete recovery, patients with partial or no recovery had significantly higher incidences of consciousness disorders (25.8% vs. 0%, P<0.05) and positive LGI1 antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (71.0% vs. 46.2%, P<0.05). These patients also had a lower Barthel Index both upon admission and at discharge, as well as a higher incidence of relapse (25.8% vs. 3.8%; P<0.05 each). Univariate logistic regression showed that positive LGI1 antibodies in CSF and relapse were associated with incomplete recovery at 1-year follow-up (both P<0.05), but only relapse remained statistically significant after multivariate logistic regression (P=0.034).

Conclusion

Patients with LGI1 antibodies in CSF and those who relapsed were more likely to experience worse outcome. Early recognition of these patients, combined with more aggressive immunotherapy may result in better recovery.

The LGI1 protein: molecular structure, physiological functions and disruption-related seizures

Leucine-rich, glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) is a secreted glycoprotein, mainly expressed in the brain, and involved in central nervous system development and physiology. Mutations of LGI1 have been linked to autosomal dominant lateral temporal lobe epilepsy (ADLTE). Recently auto-antibodies against LGI1 have been described as the basis for an autoimmune encephalitis, associated with specific motor and limbic epileptic seizures. It is the second most common cause of autoimmune encephalitis. This review presents details on the molecular structure, expression and physiological functions of LGI1, and examines how their disruption underlies human pathologies. Knock-down of LGI1 in rodents reveals that this protein is necessary for normal brain development. In mature brains, LGI1 is associated with Kv1 channels and AMPA receptors, via domain-specific interaction with membrane anchoring proteins and contributes to regulation of the expression and function of these channels. Loss of function, due to mutations or autoantibodies, of this key protein in the control of neuronal activity is a common feature in the genesis of epileptic seizures in ADLTE and anti-LGI1 autoimmune encephalitis.

Functional Recovery in Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Prospective Observational Study

Background

Prospective observations of functional recovery are lacking in patients with autoimmune encephalitis defined by antibodies against synaptic proteins and neuronal cell surface receptors.

Methods

Adult patients with a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis were included into a prospective registry. At 3, 6 and 12 months of follow-up, the patients’ modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was obtained.

Results

Patients were stratified into three groups according to their antibody (Ab) status: anti-NMDAR-Ab (n=12; group I), anti-LGI1/CASPR2-Ab (n=35; group II), and other antibodies (n=24; group III). A comparably higher proportion of patients in group I received plasma exchange/immunoadsorption and second line immunosuppressive treatments at baseline. A higher proportion of patients in group II presented with seizures. Group III mainly included patients with anti-GABA_BR-, anti-GAD65- and anti-GlyR-Ab. At baseline, one third of them had cancer. Patients in groups I and III had much higher median mRS scores at 3 months compared to patients in group II. A median mRS of 1 was found at all follow-up time points in group II.

Conclusions

The different dynamics in the recovery of patients with certain autoimmune encephalitides have important implications for clinical trials. The high proportion of patients with significant disability at 3 months after diagnosis in groups I and III points to the need for improving treatment options. More distinct scores rather than the mRS are necessary to differentiate potential neurological improvements in patients with anti-LGI1-/CASPR2-encephalitis.