Influential factors and predictors of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis associated with severity at admission

Abstract

We aimed to study the clinical characteristics and biological indicators of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis with different severity levels to explore factors predicting disease severity at admission. Using the modified Rankin scale (mRS), patients were divided into mild-to-moderate group (mRS ≤ 3) and severe group (mRS > 3) on admission based on severity of illness. General information, previous history, premonitory symptoms, clinical manifestations before admission, imaging findings and biochemical tests were compared to explore the clinical manifestations and biological indicators related to the severity of illness at admission. In the severe group, the incidences of fever, anti-infective therapy, generalized seizures, consciousness disorder, blood white blood cell, neutrophils, and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were higher than those in mild-to-moderate group (P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.020, P < 0.001, P = 0.002, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively); blood lymphocyte counts was lower than those in mild-to-moderate group (P < 0.001). There was the strongest significant positive correlation between the NLR and disease severity at admission (rs = 0.684, P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression, fever, generalized seizures, consciousness disorder, and elevated NLR were independent risk factors for disease severity; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.896 (95%CI: 0.840–0.952, P < 0.001). Fever, generalized seizures, consciousness disorder, and elevated NLR were independent risk factors for disease severity. NLR is a good predictor of the severity of illness at admission.