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Selected Highlighted News in the field of Autoimmune
Encephalitis November 2020 2nd edition
In this Issue~
* Announcements: National Family Caregiver Month, Honoring Wendy Station, AE Warrior Store
*Children’s Corner: Understanding parental perspectives on outcomes following pediatric encephalitis, Thanksgiving Word Scramble Puzzles
*Most Popular Visual of the Month: Therapeutic treatments for anti-NMDAr & Symptomatic Management, Diagnostic Clues of anti-NMDAr, Stop. Someone in this house has a Weak Immune System poster
*COVID-19’s Impact on the AE Community: What is ‘Long COVID’, Video: I Wear A Mask because Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection
*Most Popular Download: The Cat in The Hat on Autoimmune Encephalitis
*Featured AE Articles: Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Meta-Analysis, The Clinical Features, and Prognosis of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Depends on Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity
*Clinician’s Corner: Imaging Review of Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes
*COVID-19 Clinician’s Corner: Anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the CSF, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and neurological outcome
*Open Access: Autoimmune encephalitis as a differential diagnosis of schizophreniform psychosis: clinical symptomatology, pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, and therapeutic considerations
Announcements
National Family Caregiver Month – November 2020
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A Celebration of Life for Wendy Station Saturday, Nov. 21st at 11a PST/1p CST/2p EST.
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Raise Awareness by Shopping at the AE Warrior Store
Visit our AE Warrior store to see a variety of products designed to raise AE awareness and support research. The proceeds from your purchase will immediately support autoimmune encephalitis patients, caregivers, and families who are walking this difficult journey. |
Children’s Corner
Understanding parental perspectives on outcomes following pediatric encephalitis: A qualitative study
Encephalitis, characterized as inflammation of the brain tissue is an important cause of acquired brain injury in children. Objective clinical outcomes vary significantly between affected patients; however, they do not always correlate with the quality of life as reported by parents. The aim of this study was to explore how parents experience and interpret outcomes in relation to their child who has been affected by encephalitis. ResultsParents’ perspectives on important outcomes for their child and family changed during the different stages of the encephalitis illness trajectory: from acute illness, recovery and rehabilitation, then reintegration into everyday life. Parents’ understanding of their children’s overall outcome was informed by their own experiences, involving comparisons with other children and reflections on their child’s problems before, during, and after the acute illness. ConclusionOutcomes in pediatric encephalitis need to be understood in terms of the context of the patient and family experience as well as the timeframe of recovery. The research highlights the need to include more patient, parent, and/or career reported outcome measures during the patient assessment, and that assessment should be repeated during recovery as family concerns change. In the longer term, these parameters could be included in clinical and rehabilitation practice to further support child recovery. |
Thanksgiving Word Scramble puzzles for Cognitive Exercise and Rehabilitation
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Most Popular Download
Therapeutic treatments for anti-NMDAr & Symptomatic Management
Diagnostic Clues of anti-NMDAr AE
Poster: Stop Someone in This House Has a Weak Immune System
COVID-19’s impact on the AE Community
What is ‘Long COVID’ and what parts of the body does it affect?s
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Medical group says ‘hundreds of thousands’ of COVID-19 deaths possible if ‘nation does not change its course’
CDC staff give their reasons for wearing a mask. Stop the Spread. Keep yourself healthy and your family, community and loved ones healthy.
Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection
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Most Popular Visual~
The Cat in The Hat on Autoimmune Encephalitis
Featured AE Articles~
Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Meta-Analysis
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The Clinical Features and Prognosis of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Depends on Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity
Highlights Decreased consciousness, ICU admission, a higher Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and CSF protein are related to the integrity of the BBB in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. In anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients, albumin/serum albumin (QAlb) increased was positively correlated with the quantitative intrathecal IgG synthesis. The dysfunction of BBB can be helpful in evaluating anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients’ prognosis. |
Clinician’s Corner
Imaging Review of Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes
Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes can cause a wide range of imaging abnormalities throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. We have described the imaging findings of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, cerebellar degeneration, brain stem encephalitis, cranial neuropathy, myelitis, and polyneuropathy. Additionally, we have highlighted the fact that these entities can have variable imaging findings resulting in many potential diagnostic pitfalls. Because imaging features of each entity are sometimes nonspecific, consideration of paraneoplastic syndromes based on imaging findings combined with a review of patient history is important. Although serum and CSF paraneoplastic antibody positivity can be helpful, they may be absent, as illustrated in many of our cases. Importantly, many of these syndromes respond to the treatment of underlying malignancy or immunotherapy. Therefore, timely diagnosis is likely to significantly impact patient outcomes. Last, it should be noted that PNSs are relatively rare disorders compared with various conditions in the differential diagnosis. The diagnosis of PNS often requires the exclusion of these more common entities.
COVID-19 Clinician’s Corner
Anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the CSF, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and neurological outcome
Conclusions: High-titer anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in the CSF of comatose or encephalopathic patients demonstrating intrathecal IgG synthesis or BBB disruption. A disrupted BBB may facilitate the entry of cytokines and inflammatory mediators into the CNS enhancing neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The observations highlight the need for prospective CSF studies to determine the pathogenic role of anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and identify early therapeutic interventions.
Autoimmune encephalitis as a differential diagnosis of schizophreniform psychosis: clinical symptomatology, pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, and therapeutic considerations
AE Trivia Playing Cards
The perfect companion for patients, Caregivers & Therapist
We appreciate the National Organization of Rare Diseases’ (NORD) enthusiastic support in recommending this groundbreaking product.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vitally important that you #StayHome and practice #SocialDistancing. Grocery shopping, as well as all shopping, should be done online.
When you shop Amazon Smiles and select IAES as the non-profit you want to support, Amazon will donate 5% of our purchases to the International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society.
The need for our services has increased exponentially. This simple act of kindness, will support the work we do and advance our ability to service the community.
Are YOU an IAES angel? Do you love someone with AE? Do you want to raise AE awareness to not just support AE Warriors but lead researchers to finding a cure? The IAES Angel is someone who lifted IAES upward by ensuring that comfort, guidance and improved health is brought into an AE patient’s life.
IAES Angels are motivated by their Spirit of giving. They are Champions in raising AE awareness. Your devotion to supporting our mission and improving the lives of those who suffer from AE is felt mightily and immediately put to use.
When you become an #IAESANGEL, International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society will send you this badge and profile frame to place on your Facebook page or Website. As badges ‘take flight’ heralding IAES has been ‘touched by an angel’, others will take notice and they too may find their wings. Together, we will create a future where AE is eradicated from this world and only referenced in medical history books.
Your donations are greatly appreciated. Every dollar raised allows us to raise awareness and personally help Patients, Families and Caregivers through their Journey with AE so that best outcomes may be reached. Your contribution to our mission will help save a life and improve the quality of lives for others. Be a part of the solution by supporting IAES.
Driven by the knowledge that “Education is Power”, Int’l AE Society manages an educational support group for patients diagnosed with Autoimmune Encephalitis and their loved ones on Face Book, empowering them to be strong self-advocates and advocates that will lead them to best outcomes and recovery. We are the premiere organization leading in these vital roles.
