title: An open study of tacrolimus therapy in Rasmussen encephalitis.
abstract: Seven patients with Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) were treated with the immunosuppressant tacrolimus and followed for a median of 22.4 months. They were compared with 12 historical untreated RE patients (median follow-up 13.9 months). The tacrolimus-treated patients had a superior outcome regarding neurologic function and progression rate of cerebral hemiatrophy but no better seizure outcome. No treated patient, but 7 of 12 control patients, became eligible for hemispherectomy. Tacrolimus did not have any major side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Germany. c.bien@uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Bien
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gleissner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sassen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Widman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Urbach
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Elger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus