Epilepsia partialis continua: A new manifestation of anti-Hu-associated paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis

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Abstract
We report on 3 anti‐Hu–positive patients who presented with clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) features of epilepsia partialis continua (EPC). Two of the patients had an associated small cell carcinoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed a hyperintense nonenhancing focal lesion in T2‐weighted images in the sensorimotor area in 2 patients. Histopathological analysis of the lesion revealed inflammatory infiltrates and neuronal cell loss. In the patient who had a postmortem study, these neuropathological changes were not observed in other areas of the nervous system. This study emphasizes that the possibility of an anti‐Hu–associated paraneoplastic disorder must be considered in patients with cortical encephalitis presenting with EPC when a brain tumor can be excluded. Ann Neurol 1999;45:255–258