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Neuropediatrics 2022; 53(02): 133-135
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1740352
Short Communication

Rate of Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in Ovarian Teratomas

Jennifer H. Li
1   Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
,
Sarah S. Milla
2   Division of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
3   Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States
,
Grace Y. Gombolay 
4   Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
2   Division of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was not funded.
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Abstract

Background The rate of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDARE) in ovarian teratomas is unknown. We aim to identify the prevalence of NMDARE as well as volumetric and histopathologic characteristics of ovarian teratomas in patients with versus without.

Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study to identify patients with confirmed ovarian teratomas and the characteristics of teratomas in NMDARE compared with non-NMDARE patients. Patients aged between 0 and 21 years with confirmed histopathological diagnosis of ovarian teratoma after resection were included. The rate of NMDARE in ovarian teratomas was identified. Moreover, volumes of ovarian teratomas and the frequency of neuronal glial elements on histopathology in NMDARE versus non-NMDARE patients were assessed.

Results Five out of one-hundred-and-sixty-three (3.07%) patients with histopathology confirmed ovarian teratomas were diagnosed with NMDARE. Age was not different between the NMDARE (mean: 13.8 years, standard deviation: 3.9) and non-NMDARE groups (median: 14, interquartile range [IQR]: 5). Teratoma volumes from NMDARE patients were smaller than those of non-NMDARE patients (median 28.3 cm3 with IQR of 431.2 and median 182.8 with IQR of 635.0, respectively). Both age and NMDARE diagnosis were statistically significant variables in the analysis of variance on a multiple linear regression model. Age (p = 0.013) had a positive correlation with teratoma size, whereas presence of NMDARE had a negative correlation (p = 0.008).

Conclusion The rate of NMDARE in ovarian teratomas is low and NMDARE patients have smaller teratomas than non-NMDARE. Further studies are needed to understand the timing of anti-NMDA receptor antibodies in teratomas and the development of NMDARE.

Keywords

autoimmune encephalitis - anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis - ovarian teratoma - paraneoplastic


Publication History

Received: 13 July 2021

Accepted: 04 October 2021

Article published online:
06 December 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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