Risk factors for mortality in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a severe autoimmune neurological disorder with significant mortality.
• Few studies have comprehensively investigated the predictors of death in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of mortality in patients diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
• To explore the primary causes of death in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis from June 2011 to October 2015.
• Long-term follow-up to evaluate patient outcomes.
• Cox regression analysis to determine associations between predictors and mortality.

Main Results:

• The study included 96 patients, with 11 deaths (11.46% mortality) over a median follow-up of 24.5 months.
• Predictors of increased mortality included Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤8 at admission, a higher number of complications, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
• Main causes of death were severe pneumonia, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and refractory status epilepticus.

Conclusions:

• Low GCS score on admission, increased number of complications, and ICU admission are significant predictors of mortality in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
• Effective management of complications is crucial for improving the prognosis of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.