Successful management of cataplexy with intravenous immunoglobulins at narcolepsy onset
- 23 November 2004
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by Wiley in Annals of Neurology
- Vol. 56 (6) , 905-908
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.20339
Abstract
Hypocretin/orexin deficiency appears to be a consistent feature of narcolepsy with a putative autoimmune mechanism involved. We treated four hypocretin/orexin‐deficient narcolepsy patients with intravenous immunoglobulins and assessed the efficacy by repeated polysomnographies and questionnaires. Three patients received the treatment within a few months after acute onset of narcolepsy. A clear improvement in the frequency and severity of cataplexy was obtained with a benefic effect up to 7 months without any anticataplectics drugs at follow‐up. Our findings point to the importance of early diagnosis of narcolepsy, which once treated quickly may modify its long‐term outlook. Ann Neurol 2004;56:905–908Keywords
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