Abstract
Objectives Despite the rapid increase in research examining outcomes in Autoimmune Encephalitis (AE) patients, there are few cohort studies examining cognitive outcomes in this population. Here, we conducted a retrospective observational study to characterise the neuropsychological outcomes of these patients. We then examined demographic data, clinical features, and auxiliary examination variables to determine predictors of intact outcomes.
Methods This retrospective observational study collected psychometric data from 59 patients across six secondary and tertiary referral centres in metropolitan hospitals in Victoria, Australia between January 2008 and July 2019. Data were collected on patient general demographics, antibody profile, clinical features, and paraclinical findings, treatments, and psychometric data. Psychometric data was standardised into age and education normative values Pattern analysis was employed to derive patterns of psychometric deficits in these patients. Univariable logistic regression was performed to examine predictors of ‘intact’ psychometric outcomes.
Results Twenty-nine patterns of psychometric outcomes were observed, suggesting outcomes in AE are complex. Deficits in psychometric markers of executive dysfunction were the most commonly observed in this cohort, followed by deficits on tasks sensitive to memory. Half the cohort were classified as having psychometric impairments across at least two cognitive domains. None of the demographic data, clinical features, and auxiliary examination variables were predictors of ‘intact’ psychometric outcome.
Conclusions Neuropsychological outcomes of AE are complex and the current paper highlights the need for ongoing individual management. Further detailed and standardised cognitive testing in combination with MRI volumetrics and serum/CSF biomarkers is required to provide rigorous assessments of disease outcomes.
