Specific Conditions |
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Indication for Ig Use |
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Level of Evidence | Evidence of probable benefit – more research needed (Category 2a) |
Description and Diagnostic Criteria |
Rasmussen encephalitis is a chronic, progressive, focal encephalitis that is commonly accompanied by focal seizures, hemiparesis and cognitive decline. It is generally considered to be a disease of childhood, with most cases occurring in children younger than 10 years, although adult onset cases do occur. Conventional anticonvulsant therapy is usually ineffective and hemispherectomy may be helpful in the correct setting. Generally there is an active progressive phase of the disease, often lasting some years, followed by quiescence and no further progression of disease. (Varadkar et al, 2014). Although historical data has generally reported seizure freedom only after functional hemispherectomy, some centres practise more aggressive immune therapies and report improved outcomes. Functional hemispherectomy provides the best opportunity of seizure freedom, however there will inevitably be post-surgical motor deficits, and often cognitive impairments post-hemispherectomy. Therefore it can be argued that aggressive early immune therapy may reduce the surgical sequelae of motor and cognitive deficits (The decision regarding when and if to perform hemispherectomy is challenging and discussed in Figure 4 of Varadkar et al 2014). |
Justification for Evidence Category | A number of retrospective case series, open label studies and one randomized controlled study (Bien et al, 2012) between 1996 and 2013. Hart YM et al (1996), Granata et al (2003) and Takahashi (2013) have reported benefit from immunomodulatory treatments including pulse steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), plasma exchange (PE) and tacrolimus. Benefit was seen in regard to reduced tissue and function loss and reduced chance of intractable epilepsy. A single case report described a good outcome with natulizumab (Bittner S et al, 2013). Early therapies may yield the best outcomes. Varadkar et al (2014) reported that immunomodulatory treatments seem to slow rather than halt disease progression without changing the eventual outcome. Patients are often left with intractable epilepsy for which functional hemispherectomy remains the only effective cure. |
Diagnosis Requirements |
A diagnosis must be made by a Neurologist. |
Qualifying Criteria for Ig Therapy |
AND
AND
For patients on maintenance treatment, review by a neurologist is required at least annually. It is recognised that patients will typically reach a stabilisation phase 18 months to two years from onset, at which time, a trial of weaning should be considered. Documentation of clinical effectiveness is necessary for continuation of IVIg therapy. |
Review Criteria for Assessing the Effectiveness of Ig Use |
Review by an neurologist is required within six months of treatment and annually thereafter. It is recognised that the acute phase of Rasmussen encephalitis can last for at least 12 months followed by stabilisation of symptoms and residual disease. The aim of Ig therapy is to reduce the trajectory of deterioration in a progressive disease (Varadkar et al, 2014). Some patients will have aggressive and refractory disease, and in these cases hemispherectomy may be the preferred option (discussed in figure 4, Varadkar et al, 2014).
For patients on maintenance treatment, review by a neurologist is required at least annually. It is recognised that patients will typically reach a stabilisation phase 18 months to two years from onset, at which time, a trial of weaning should be considered. Documentation of clinical effectiveness is necessary for continuation of IVIg therapy. Clinical effectiveness can be demonstrated by: On review of the initial authorisation period
On review of a continuing authorisation period
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Dose |
The aim should be to use the lowest dose possible that achieves the appropriate clinical outcome for each patient.
Refer to the current product information sheet for further information on dose, administration and contraindications. |
Bibliography |
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Bien, CG, Granata, T, Antozzi, C, et al 2005, ‘Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of Rasmussen encephalitis: a European consensus statement’, Brain, vol. 128, PP. 454–71. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15689357 Bien, CG, Tiemeier, H, Sassen, R, et al 2013, ‘Rasmussen encephalitis: incidence and course under randomized therapy with tacrolimus or intravenous immunoglobulins’, Epilepsia, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 543-50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23216622 Bittner, S, Simon, OJ, Göbel, K, et al 2013, ‘Rasmussen encephalitis treated with natalizumab’, Neurology, vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 395–397. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23794679 Bonita, R & Beaglehole, R 1988, ‘Recovery of motor function after stroke’, Stroke, vol. 19, no. 12, pp. 1497-1500. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/str.19.12.3201508 Caraballo, RH, Fortini, S, Cersósimo, R, Monges, S, Pasteris, MC, Gomez, M, et al 2013, ‘Rasmussen syndrome: an Argentinean experience in 32 patients’, Seizure, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 360-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23466213 Feasby, T, Barnwell, B, Benstead, T, et al 2007, ‘Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Immune Globulin for Neurologic Conditions Transfusion Medicine Reviews’, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. S57-S107. Granata, T, Gobbi, G, Spreafico, R, et al 2003, ‘Rasmussen's encephalitis: early characteristics allow diagnosis’, Neurology, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 422-5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12578922 Hart, YM, Andermann, F, Fish, DR, Dubeau, F, Robitaille, Y, Rasmussen, T, et al 1997, ‘Chronic encephalitis and epilepsy in adults and adolescents: a variant of Rasmussen's syndrome?’, Neurology, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 418-24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9040732 Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network (2016). Ontario Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) Utilization Management Guidelines, Version 3.0. [online]. Available from: http://transfusionontario.org/en/download/ontario-intravenous-immune-globulin-ivig-utilization-management-guidelines-2/. Rankin, J,1957, ‘Cerebral vascular accidents in patients over the age of 60’, Scottish Medical Journal, no. 2, pp. 200-15. Stroke Engine Canada, 'The Modified Rankin Scale'. Available from Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) – Strokengine Takahashi, Y, Yamazaki, E, Mine, J, Kubota, Y, Imai, K, Mogami, Y, et al 2013, ‘Immunomodulatory therapy versus surgery for Rasmussen syndrome in early childhood’, Brain and Development, vol. 35, no. 8,pp. 778-85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23433490 UK Department of Health, 2011, ‘Clinical Guidelines for Immunoglobulin Use: Second Edition Update’, Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clinical-guidelines-for-immunoglobulin-use-second-edition-update UK Department of Health, 2011, ‘Clinical Guidelines for Immunoglobulin Use: Second Edition Update’, Summary Poster. Available from: http://igd.mdsas.com/clinical-info/ Van Swieten, JC, Koudstaal, PJ, Visser, MC, Schouten, HJ, van Gijn, J, 1987, ‘Interobserver agreement for the assessment of handicap in stroke patients’, Stroke, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 604-607. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/fba2/da6e4888b08ee79441937169c53f16aec218.pdf Varadkar, S, Bien, CG, Kruse, CA, Jensen, FE, Bauer, J, Pardo, CA, et al 2014, ‘Rasmussen's encephalitis: clinical features, pathobiology, and treatment advances’,Lancet Neurology, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 195-205. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24457189 |