title: Rasmussen encephalitis and comorbid autoimmune diseases: A window into disease mechanism?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a potential association between comorbid autoimmune disease and Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) and discuss potential insights into underlying RE pathogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case series of 4 patients with RE in whom a comorbid autoimmune disease was subsequently diagnosed and review the literature on possible common susceptibility factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 4 patients who presented with typical clinical features of RE, a comorbid autoimmune disease was subsequently diagnosed: Hashimoto thyroiditis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. We discuss the possible common predisposing factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association of RE, a rare entity, with a comorbid autoimmune disease raises the possibility of shared mechanisms of susceptibility, including common immunogenetic and/or environmental risk factors.
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco. amit.bar-or@mcgill.ca dina.amrom@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amrom
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco.
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kinay
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco.
authors.forename: Samuel F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Berkovic
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laxer
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco.
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andermann
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andermann
authors.affiliation: From the Neurogenetics Unit (D.A., E.A.), Epilepsy Clinic (F.A.), and Neuroimmunology Unit (A.B.-O.), Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery (D.A., F.A., E.A., A.B.-O.), Pediatrics (F.A.), and Human Genetics (E.A.), McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital (D.K.), Istanbul, Turkey; Royal Victoria Infirmary (Y.H.), Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; Epilepsy Research Center (S.F.B.), Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Australia; and Department of Neurology (K.L.), University of California at San Francisco. amit.bar-or@mcgill.ca dina.amrom@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bar-Or
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000276:immunology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors