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Epilepsia partialis continua: A new manifestation of anti‐Hu–associated paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis
Author(s) -
Bellaïche Shavit Yaël,
Graus Francesc,
Probst Alphonse,
Rene Ramon,
Steck Andreas J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/1531-8249(199902)45:2<255::aid-ana18>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - epilepsia partialis continua , encephalomyelitis , medicine , immunology , neuroscience , virology , epilepsy , psychology , psychiatry , status epilepticus , multiple sclerosis
We report on 3 anti‐Hu–positive patients who presented with clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) features of epilepsia partialis continua (EPC). Two of the patients had an associated small cell carcinoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed a hyperintense nonenhancing focal lesion in T2‐weighted images in the sensorimotor area in 2 patients. Histopathological analysis of the lesion revealed inflammatory infiltrates and neuronal cell loss. In the patient who had a postmortem study, these neuropathological changes were not observed in other areas of the nervous system. This study emphasizes that the possibility of an anti‐Hu–associated paraneoplastic disorder must be considered in patients with cortical encephalitis presenting with EPC when a brain tumor can be excluded. Ann Neurol 1999;45:255–258