In the past 18 months, Cho Ray Hospital has seen a surge in patients with autoimmune encephalitis, primarily due to antibodies from ovarian teratoma. The hospital has admitted 17 patients, with four deaths reported. Dr. Le Quoc Hung, Head of the Department of Tropical Diseases at Cho Ray Hospital, highlighted the increase in cases over the past eight months, with four patients currently undergoing treatment. Autoimmune encephalitis is a newly discovered condition in Vietnam, making it challenging to diagnose and report cases.
On average, patients treated at Cho Ray Hospital are 23 years old and include 12 women and five men. Of those treated for ovarian teratoma, six required surgical intervention despite potential impacts on fertility and endocrine function. Patients who underwent surgery showed significant improvements in health soon after the procedure was performed.
The disease caused by anti-NMDAR antibodies is relatively new and mainly seen in women with ovarian teratomas. It attacks nerve cells and can lead to severe brain damage. Dr. Hung emphasized the importance of early detection through proper screening as the disease has a high mortality rate and complex treatment requirements.
Ongoing research is focused 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.
Surgical intervention was required for six patients with ovarian teratomas treated at Cho Ray Hospital and Hung Vuong Hospital due to potential impacts on fertility and endocrine function.
Despite these challenges, individuals who underwent surgery showed significant improvements in health soon after the procedure was performed.
In conclusion, autoimmune encephalitis caused by anti-NMDAR antibodies is a relatively recent discovery that requires ongoing research to understand its causes and develop effective treatments.
Early detection through proper screening is crucial given its high mortality rate and complex treatment requirements.
Individuals should seek medical attention if they notice any unusual symptoms such as behavior changes or unexplained seizures as these could be early signs of autoimmune encephalitis.
