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An open study of tacrolimus therapy in Rasmussen encephalitis

From the Departments of Epileptology (Drs. Bien, Gleissner, Sassen, Widman, and Elger) and Radiology/Neuroradiology (Dr. Urbach), University of Bonn, Germany.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. C.G. Bien, Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany; e-mail: c.bien{at}uni-bonn.de

Seven patients with Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) were treated with the immunosuppressant tacrolimus and followed for a median of 22.4 months. They were compared with 12 historical untreated RE patients (median follow-up 13.9 months). The tacrolimus-treated patients had a superior outcome regarding neurologic function and progression rate of cerebral hemiatrophy but no better seizure outcome. No treated patient, but 7 of 12 control patients, became eligible for hemispherectomy. Tacrolimus did not have any major side effects.

Received September 23, 2003. Accepted in final form January 26, 2004.

Additional material related to this article can be found on the Neurology Web site. Go to www.neurology.org and scroll down the Table of Contents for the June 8 issue to find the title link for this article.

Dr. Bien is an investigator in another subsequent study investigating tacrolimus (Prograf). This additional study is supported by Fujisawa Deutschland GmbH. Fujisawa Deutschland provided funds in excess of $10,000 (US) for this separate investigation. No data from this subsequent additional investigation are included in this published article.

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