Long-term outcomes and burden of autoimmune encephalitis in Denmark
Novo Nordisk Foundation
Odense University Hospital
Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) are diseases where the immune system attack the brain with so-called antibodies and is more common than infectious enceflitis. AE can be treated by inhibiting the immune system and physical prognosis is good in up to 70% of patients. Recent studies have found that although physically fine, patients often have severe cognitive problems (eg. memory, behavior) even year after encephalitis. We have build a database consisting of all Danish AE cases since 2009 (approximately 150 patients). In this proposal we wish to do a detailed follow-up looking into long-term residual physical and cognitive function. We will also investigate the burden suffered from caregiver and the cost of these diseases to society. To achieve this patients will undergo physical and neuropsychological examinations and caregiver and patients will be asked to fill in questionnaires on quality of life and burden. To estimate the costs of disease we will use the Danish health registries.
Research / Projects / Award