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Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (anti-NMDAR encephalitis) is the most common type of immune-mediated encephalitis. This study aimed to assess the incidence and mortality of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in intensive care unit (ICU) to evaluate the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, managements and outcomes, and to compare these characteristics with patients with non-anti-NMDAR encephalitis admitted to ICU. Patients admitted to the neurological ICU with suspected encephalitis were included between January 1, 2012 and July 31, 2015. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of enrolled patients was screened for anti-NMDAR antibodies using a cell-based assay. 72 critically ill patients with encephalitis of uncertain etiology were investigated, and 16 patients were positive for anti-NMDAR antibodies in CSF. Compared to patients with non-anti-NMDAR encephalitis, patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were younger, more likely to present with the psychiatric symptoms, dyskinesia, and autonomic dysfunction, and had longer ICU stays. The abnormal movements were so difficult to control that complicated the management. The outcome was favorable in ten patients 1 year after the disease onset, and the mortality was as high as 25 % overall. The incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis is high among critically ill patients with encephalitis of uncertain etiology. Controlling dyskinesia proved to be a challenge. Persistent dysautonomias were additional difficult to manage confounders. Same points being highlighted in this study may aid clinicians in the management of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis in intensive care practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS), a neurotoxic rodenticide banned in China, has repeatedly been shown to kill healthy people. We report a series of nine people with TETS intoxication presenting with Convulsive Status Epilepticus (CSE) as the initial manifestation. Median duration of CSE after admission was 6h. All had normal neuro-imaging but inter-ictal EEG showed bilateral epileptic waves. Despite aggressive anti-convulsive treatment, attempts at reducing TETS levels and supportive therapy, outcomes were poor. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) occurred in six people, of whom three died. TETS exposure should be part of the differential diagnosis in people presenting with unexplained SE in rural China, particularly if this occurs in family clusters. Over 14,000 cases of TETS intoxication occurred in China between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2010, and 932 of these died. Cases were widely distributed throughout the country, occurring primarily in rural areas. CSE seems to be a frequent symptom of severe intoxication. There is, however, still a lack of information about the hazards of TETS and it is imperative that both the public and physicians are made aware of its risks and complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and objective Allergy is a potential outcome of dysregulated immune system. Previous studies have shown the association of allergy and autoimmune diseases, however, there is few study to investigate the relationship between allergy and anti- N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. Thus, we investigate the rate of allergy in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and analyze the risk factors. Method The rate of allergy was investigated in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and was compared with patients with virus encephalitis. The clinical cutaneous characters were described in details. All patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were divided into allergic and nonallergic group. Clinical factors were compared in the two groups, and logistic regression model was also used to analyze possible risk factors of allergy. Results Patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis had a higher rate of allergy than those with viral encephalitis (22.1% vs 9.2%, odds ratio (OR) = 3.23, confidence interval (CI) = 1.40–7.42, P = 0.006). In patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, allergic patients exhibited longer days in hospital (30 days vs 22 days, P = 0.005) and higher occurrence of decreased consciousness (81.5% vs 58.9%, P = 0.031), higher rate of complications (77.8% vs 57.9%, P = 0.046) and abnormal electroencephalography (EEG) (100% vs 78.6%, P = 0.021) than patients without allergy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) antibody titers of allergic patients during the disease course were also higher than nonallergic patients (P = 0.004). However, further logistic regression analysis did not reveal independent predictors of allergy. Conclusions Patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis show higher allergic rate than those with virus encephalitis. Patients with allergy show higher CSF antibody titers and greater illness severity. However, the final outcome of anti-NMDAR encephalitis was not influenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate the antiepileptic and protective effects of intravenous levetiracetam (iv LEV) in the rhesus monkey model of acute status epilepticus (SE). Methods Thirty minutes before intraperitoneal induction of SE by Coriaria lactone (CL), rhesus monkeys were treated with LEV (15 or 150 mg/kg) delivered intravenously as a single bolus. CL dose and epileptic behavior were recorded. Electroencephalography (EEG) was performed before and during the experiment. All rhesus monkeys were killed after 1-month video monitoring and processed for pathological investigation of neuronal injury, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining. Results No animal exhibited spontaneous seizures during 1-month video monitoring. Development of acute SE was significantly inhibited in the group given 150 mg/kg LEV, compared with controls and the 15 mg/kg LEV group. Delayed latency, reduction of SE duration, decreased cumulative time of tonic convulsions, slight severity of SE, and a high CL induction dose were observed in the high LEV dose group (p < 0.05). The EEG showed less frequent epileptic discharges in the group administered with 150 mg/kg LEV. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, ultrastructural examination, TUNEL and GFAP staining revealed serious damage, including neuron loss, swollen mitochondrion, and strong positivity for TUNEL in the hippocampus and thalamus of controls, whereas moderate damage in the group administered with 15 mg/kg LEV, and very mild damage in the 150 mg/kg LEV group. Gliosis was found in the hippocampus of controls, not in the LEV groups and normal rhesus monkey. Conclusion The study supports the antiepileptic and protective effect of pretreatment with intravenous LEV in rhesus monkey model with SE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]