Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
31st International Epilepsy Congress, İstanbul, Türkiye, 5 - 09 Eylül 2015, cilt.56, ss.26, (Özet Bildiri)
Purpose: Autoimmunity is an emerging point of research in the etiology
of different neurological disorders including epilepsy. We aimed to
search for autoantibodies against VGKC, GAD, LGI1, CASPR2, NMDA,
AMPA and GABA receptors and investigate the clinical presentation as
well as the risk factors which can be correlated with autoimmune etiology.
Method: Patients with cryptogenic epilepsy with focal seizures were
included in this study. Patient demographics, age at seizure onset, seizure
frequency, risk factors, seizure precipitants, type of seizures were noted.
Plasma obtained from patients was frozen at -80 °C and analyzed for
autoantibodies against VGKC, LGI1, CASPR2, NMDA, AMPA, GABA
receptors and GAD with immunocytochemistry techniques, ELISA
method or radioimmunoassay technique as required. Positive samples
were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and western blotting.
Results: There were 94 patients (55 male), with mean age 37.5, 15 yrs
(18–84). Thirteen patients had autoimmune antibodies, GAD (4 pt),
VGKC (5 pt), NMDA (1 pt), AMPA (1 pt), both GAD and VGKC 2 pt).
Higher incidence of autoimmune disease or serious infection in personal
history was observed in seropositive group. Nine of 13 patients were seizure free during the last year on one or two antiepileptic drugs where the
rest 3 had drug resistant seizures. Corticosteroids helped to control seizures in two patients. Statistical analyses did not reveal any significance
for all parameters evaluated.
Conclusion: Autoimmune antibodies may be detected in a subgroup of
cryptogenic epilepsy. Some of them may have drug resistant seizures
with immune system related events in the patient’s history where
immunomodulator therapy may be considered in selected cases. These
findings indicate the role of immunity in a subgroup of patients with
epileptic seizures of unknown etiology and some specific features.