Medical treatment of Rasmussen's syndrome (chronic encephalitis and epilepsy) Effect of high‐dose steroids or immunoglobulins in 19 patients

YM Hart, M Cortez, F Andermann, P Hwang, DR Fish… - Neurology, 1994 - AAN Enterprises
YM Hart, M Cortez, F Andermann, P Hwang, DR Fish, O Dulac, K Silver, N Fejerman…
Neurology, 1994AAN Enterprises
We treated 19 patients with Rasmussen's syndrome (chronic encephalitis and epilepsy)–a
rare progressive disorder of unknown etiology causing focal epilepsy, hemiparesis, and
intellectual deterioration–with intravenous immunoglobulins, high-dose steroids, or both, to
control seizures and improve the end point of the disease. Ten of 17 patients receiving
steroids, and eight of nine patients receiving immunoglobulins, had some reduction of
seizure frequency in the short term. Improvement in hemiparesis was slight. The effect of …
We treated 19 patients with Rasmussen's syndrome (chronic encephalitis and epilepsy)–a rare progressive disorder of unknown etiology causing focal epilepsy, hemiparesis, and intellectual deterioration–with intravenous immunoglobulins, high-dose steroids, or both, to control seizures and improve the end point of the disease. Ten of 17 patients receiving steroids, and eight of nine patients receiving immunoglobulins, had some reduction of seizure frequency in the short term. Improvement in hemiparesis was slight. The effect of these drugs in ameliorating the end point of the disease in the long term remains unknown, and further multicenter studies with standardized protocols are warranted.
American Academy of Neurology