title: Epilepsia partialis continua: a new manifestation of anti-Hu-associated paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis.
abstract: We report on 3 anti-Hu-positive patients who presented with clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) features of epilepsia partialis continua (EPC). Two of the patients had an associated small cell carcinoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed a hyperintense nonenhancing focal lesion in T2-weighted images in the sensorimotor area in 2 patients. Histopathological analysis of the lesion revealed inflammatory infiltrates and neuronal cell loss. In the patient who had a postmortem study, these neuropathological changes were not observed in other areas of the nervous system. This study emphasizes that the possibility of an anti-Hu-associated paraneoplastic disorder must be considered in patients with cortical encephalitis presenting with EPC when a brain tumor can be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Univesity Hospital, Basel Switzerland.
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Shavit
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Graus
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rene
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Steck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D017036:Epilepsia Partialis Continua / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*