Datyner E, Adeseye V, Porter K, Dryden I, Sarma A, Vu N, Patrick AE, Paueksakon P. Small vessel childhood primary angiitis of the central nervous system with positive anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies: a case report and review of literature.
BMC Neurol 2023;
23:57. [PMID:
36737749 PMCID:
PMC9895965 DOI:
10.1186/s12883-023-03093-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Small vessel childhood primary angiitis of the central nervous system (SV-cPACNS) is a rare disease characterized by inflammation within small vessels such as arterioles or capillaries.
CASE PRESENTATION
We report a case of SV-cPACNS in an 8-year-old boy confirmed by brain biopsy. This patient was also incidentally found to have anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) but had no evidence of antibody-mediated disease on brain biopsy. A literature review highlighted the rarity of SV-cPACNS and found no prior reports of CSF GFAP-associated SV-cPACNS in the pediatric age group.
CONCLUSION
We present the first case of biopsy proven SV-cPACNS vasculitis associated with an incidental finding of CSF GFAP antibodies. The GFAP antibodies are likely a clinically insignificant bystander in this case and possibly in other diseases with CNS inflammation. Further research is needed to determine the clinical significance of newer CSF autoantibodies such as anti-GFAP before they are used for medical decision-making in pediatrics.
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