Autoimmune Encephalopathy of Infectious Etiology: Assessing the Current State of Knowledge, Clinical Treatments and Research Directions
We held our first symposium, Autoimmune Encephalopathy of Infectious Etiology: Assessing the Current State of Knowledge, Clinical Treatments and Research Directions, on June 14 and 15, 2019 at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. The program was jointly sponsored by The Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education (CENTILE) at Georgetown University, The Foundation of Total Recovery, and The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine.
Attendees at our one-and-a-half-day symposium, included invited guests from multiple medical disciplines including, Pediatricians, Immunologists, Neurologists, Pain Specialists, Family Physicians, and Lyme Specialists. The event was closed to the public and media in order attempt to create a collegial atmosphere conducive to open and honest discussions about the state of the disease and the controversy surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of “Autoimmune Encephalopathy of Infectious Etiologies” as a unique entity.
The symposium was held at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center. Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center.
- What is known of the role of the innate and acquired immune system in POTS, PANDAS/PANS, and chronic pain conditions such as Fibromyalgia, CRPS, ME/CFS, Chronic/Post Lyme Syndrome, and Psychiatric illness (Mono and Bipolar depression)?
- Is there a legitimate argument for an immune-mediated pathophysiology for some or all of these conditions? If so, what are the possible mechanisms through which the immune system is activated?
- What are the known comorbidities of these conditions and their rates of occurrence?
- Are there subpopulations within these various diagnostic groups, where for some patients, the autoimmune process is the pathophysiology of the disease, but for others, it is not?
- In the case of Lyme Disease, there is question about when we should consider Lyme “cured”? When can treatment for the primary disease end, and treatment focus on the immune issues, or must the two be addressed concurrently. These same questions apply to the PANDAS/PANS population and possibly to many of these conditions. (role for T&A)
- How do you diagnose Autoimmune Encephalopathy? Clinical S/S. What tests might be helpful?
- What treatments have been used to treat Autoimmune Encephalopathies? What is the available evidence of what has worked and not worked and in what conditions? (IgG, plasmapheresis, Rituxan)
- What new ways might we consider in studying these populations?
- Is there a role for an Omics approach to research in this area?