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Plasmapheresis in Rasmussen's encephalitis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Andrews, PI; Dichter, MA; Berkovic, SF; Newton, MR; McNamara, JO
Published in: Neurology
January 1996

Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) is a progressive childhood disorder characterized by intractable focal seizures, hemiplegia, dementia, and inflammatory histopathology. The process is typically limited to one cerebral hemisphere. We report four patients with pathologically confirmed RE who were treated with repeated plasmapheresis. Three patients exhibited repeated, dramatic, transient responses to plasmapheresis, manifested by reduced seizure frequency and improved neurologic function. One patient exhibited marginal improvement after treatment with plasmapheresis. These observations indicate that circulating factors, likely autoantibodies, are pathogenic in at least some patients with RE and suggest that RE is an autoimmune disease. Plasmapheresis may be a useful adjunctive therapy in status epilepticus, and can also aid in assessment of residual function in the diseased hemisphere before surgical resection.

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Published In

Neurology

DOI

ISSN

0028-3878

Publication Date

January 1996

Volume

46

Issue

1

Start / End Page

242 / 246

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Seizures
  • Plasmapheresis
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Male
  • Inflammation
  • Humans
  • Hemiplegia
  • Female
  • Encephalitis
  • Dementia
 

Citation

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Andrews, P. I., Dichter, M. A., Berkovic, S. F., Newton, M. R., & McNamara, J. O. (1996). Plasmapheresis in Rasmussen's encephalitis. Neurology, 46(1), 242–246. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.46.1.242
Andrews, P. I., M. A. Dichter, S. F. Berkovic, M. R. Newton, and J. O. McNamara. “Plasmapheresis in Rasmussen's encephalitis.Neurology 46, no. 1 (January 1996): 242–46. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.46.1.242.
Andrews PI, Dichter MA, Berkovic SF, Newton MR, McNamara JO. Plasmapheresis in Rasmussen's encephalitis. Neurology. 1996 Jan;46(1):242–6.
Andrews, P. I., et al. “Plasmapheresis in Rasmussen's encephalitis.Neurology, vol. 46, no. 1, Jan. 1996, pp. 242–46. Pubmed, doi:10.1212/wnl.46.1.242.
Andrews PI, Dichter MA, Berkovic SF, Newton MR, McNamara JO. Plasmapheresis in Rasmussen's encephalitis. Neurology. 1996 Jan;46(1):242–246.

Published In

Neurology

DOI

ISSN

0028-3878

Publication Date

January 1996

Volume

46

Issue

1

Start / End Page

242 / 246

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Seizures
  • Plasmapheresis
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Male
  • Inflammation
  • Humans
  • Hemiplegia
  • Female
  • Encephalitis
  • Dementia