Diagnostic and prognostic factors for acute encephalopathy

• DOI: 10.1111/ped.12995
• Publication Date: 2016-04-02T16:10:34Z
• Authors: Yukiko Motojima; Michiaki Nagura; Yoshitaka Asano; Hiroshi Arakawa; Eiko Takada; Yoshio Sakurai; Koichi Moriwaki; Masanori Tamura
• Keywords: Male; Brain Diseases; Interleukin-6; Infant; Alanine Transaminase; tau Proteins; Prognosis; Seizures, Febrile; 3. Good health; Diagnosis, Differential; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Risk Factors; Child, Preschool; Acute Disease; Humans; Female; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Child; Biomarkers; Retrospective Studies

AbstractBackgroundAcute encephalopathy has the possibility of sequelae. While early treatment is required to prevent the development of sequelae, differential diagnosis is of the utmost priority. The aim of this study was therefore to identify parameters that can facilitate early diagnosis and prediction of outcome of acute encephalopathy.MethodsWe reviewed the medical charts of inpatients from 2005 to 2011 and identified 33 patients with febrile status epilepticus. Subjects were classified into an acute encephalopathy group (n = 20) and a febrile convulsion group (n = 13), and the parameters serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ammonia (NH3), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau protein, and CSF interleukin‐6 compared between them. Furthermore, the relationship between each parameter and prognosis was investigated in the encephalopathy group.ResultsSignificant differences in serum AST, ALT, and LDH were observed between the febrile convulsion and acute encephalopathy group. Moreover, a significant difference in serum LDH was noted between the patients with and without developmental regression at the time of hospital discharge in the encephalopathy group. In particular, CSF tau protein was found to be highly likely to indicate progress, with CSF tau protein >1000 pg/dL associated with poor prognosis leading to developmental regression.ConclusionSerum AST, ALT and LDH may be related to early diagnosis and prognosis, and should be carefully investigated in patients with encephalopathy. CSF tau protein could also be used as an indicator of poor prognosis in acute encephalopathy.