title: Newly-diagnosed pediatric epilepsy is associated with elevated autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase but not cardiolipin.
abstract: Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA) and anti-cardiolipin autoantibodies (ACA) have been detected in adult subjects with epilepsy, though the functional implications of these findings are a matter of debate. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GADA and ACA and to investigate their clinical significance in pediatric subjects with newly-diagnosed epilepsy. For this purpose GADA and ACA were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in 208 pediatric patients with newly-diagnosed epilepsy and 128 controls. The clinical data (results of electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, 6-month outcome etc.) was compared to antibody test results. Our study revealed GADA in 14 (6.7%) patients with epilepsy and in 1 (0.8%) control, which was a statistically significant difference (P=0.010; Chi-square test). The GADA-positive and -negative patients had similar clinical characteristics. The prevalence of ACA in patients with epilepsy (6.3%) was not significantly different than controls (2.6%). These results suggest that GADA is associated with epilepsy in a subgroup of newly-diagnosed pediatric patients. Further studies are required to determine the prognostic significance and pathogenic role of GADA among pediatric subjects with epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tartu, Lunini 6, Tartu 51014, Estonia. kadi.veri@kliinikum.ee
authors.forename: Kadi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Veri
authors.forename: Oivi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uibo
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Talvik
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Talvik
authors.forename: Kaja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Metsküla
authors.forename: Aita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Napa
authors.forename: Ulvi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vaher
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Õiglane-Šlik
authors.forename: Reet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rein
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolk
authors.forename: Aili
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Traat
authors.forename: Raivo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uibo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D002308:Cardiolipins; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase