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Case Report: Paroxysmal weakness of unilateral limb as an initial symptom in anti-LGI1 encephalitis: a report of five cases

Case Report: Paroxysmal weakness of unilateral limb as an initial symptom in anti-LGI1 encephalitis: a report of five cases

Authors :
Shan Wang
Jirui Wang
Baizhu Li
Ning Hu
Yingbin Jin
Shiyu Han
Xiuli Shang
Source :
Frontiers in Immunology, Vol 14 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2023.

Abstract

Anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) encephalitis is the second most common kind of autoimmune encephalitis following anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. Anti-LGI1 encephalitis is characterized by cognitive impairment or rapid progressive dementia, psychiatric disorders, epileptic seizures, faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS), and refractory hyponatremia. Recently, we found an atypical manifestation of anti-LGI1 encephalitis, in which paroxysmal limb weakness was the initial symptom. In this report, we describe five cases of anti-LGI1 encephalitis with paroxysmal limb weakness. Patients had similar presentations, where a sudden weakness involving a unilateral limb was observed, which lasted several seconds and occurred dozens of times each day, with the anti-LGI1 antibody being positive in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). FBDS occurred after a mean of 12 days following paroxysmal limb weakness in three of five patients (Cases 1, 4, and 5). All patients were given high-dose steroid therapy, which had a good effect on their condition. Based on this report, we suggest that paroxysmal unilateral weakness may be a kind of epilepsy and be connected to FBDS. As an unusual neurological presentation, paroxysmal weakness can be included in the clinical manifestations of anti-LGI1 encephalitis, helping to raise awareness of the recognition of anti-LGI1 encephalitis in patients with this symptom and leading to early diagnosis and early treatment, which would contribute to improved clinical outcomes.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16643224
Volume :
14
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Immunology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.7d9e69349d41cc9dce955e90a8a471
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1191823