Idiopathic autoimmune encephalitis with a recurrent course. A case report

We presented a clinical case of idiopathic autoimmune brainstem encephalitis in a 12-year-old female patient. At the onset of the disease, which developed after a respiratory infection, the clinical picture was accompanied by oculomotor and bulbar syndromes. The diagnosis of Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis was made based on clinical diagnostic criteria and the positive effect of the course of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. During 3 years of follow-up, there were periods of relapse of the disease, during which symptoms not typical for Bickerstaff stem encephalitis appeared. Against the background of long-term immunosuppressive therapy, there was a long-term remission of about 2 years. The clinical picture, the presence of relapses, the data of additional methods forced to reconsider the diagnosis in favor of idiopathic autoimmune brainstem encephalitis.