Unraveling Autoimmune Encephalitis: The Impact of Ovarian Teratoma Antibodies on Brain Damage

Over the past 18 months, Cho Ray Hospital has admitted 17 patients with autoimmune encephalitis, primarily due to antibodies from ovarian teratoma. Dr. Le Quoc Hung, Head of the Department of Tropical Diseases at Cho Ray Hospital, highlighted a significant increase in cases of the disease over the past 8 months, with four deaths reported. Despite being less reported in Vietnam, this newly discovered condition poses a challenge for diagnosis.

The average age of patients treated at Cho Ray Hospital is 23 years old, with 12 women and five men. Most of these patients are comatose and experience seizures when they are admitted. Dr. Hung emphasizes the importance of early and accurate diagnosis to prevent fatalities and minimize treatment costs.

Six patients with ovarian teratomas treated at Cho Ray Hospital and Hung Vuong Hospital required surgical intervention. Although potential impacts on fertility and endocrine function may arise from surgery, these patients showed significant improvements in health soon after the procedure was performed. The average cost of treating a patient with autoimmune encephalitis is one billion VND.

Autoimmune encephalitis caused by anti-NMDAR antibodies is a relatively recent discovery, mainly seen in women with ovarian teratomas. This disease attacks nerve cells and can lead to severe brain damage. Dr. Hung stresses the importance of early detection through proper screening given its high mortality rate and complex treatment requirements.

Ongoing research focuses on understanding and treating autoimmune encephalitis, with an emphasis on developing national guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. Individuals are encouraged to seek medical attention if they observe behavior changes, memory loss or unexplained seizures in their loved ones as these could be early signs of the disease.

In summary, autoimmune encephalitis is a newly discovered condition that affects young individuals primarily due to ovarian teratoma antibodies causing brain damage through nerve cells attack which could lead to severe outcomes if not detected early enough or diagnosed accurately leading to high mortality rate and complex treatments requiring surgical intervention with potential impacts on fertility and endocrine function but also showing significant improvements in health soon after surgery was performed