Nosadini M, Eyre M, Molteni E, et al. - Factors influencing functional outcomes and relapse differ and must be evaluated separately in the establishment of evidence-based optimal management guidelines for N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibody encephalitis (NMDARE) patients.

• Data from 1,550 patients were analyzed from 652 articles.

• There were 1,105 females out of 1,508 (73.3%) and 707 males out of 1,526 (46.3%) at the time of disease onset.

• Adolescent age and first-line treatment with therapeutic apheresis, corticosteroids plus intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), or corticosteroids plus IVIG plus therapeutic apheresis were factors at first event that were significantly associated with good functional outcome.

• Age younger than 2 years or 65 years or older at onset, ICU admission, extreme delta brush pattern on electroencephalography, lack of immunotherapy within the first 30 days of onset, and maintenance IVIG use for 6 months or more were factors significantly associated with poor functional outcome.

• Rituximab use or maintenance IVIG use for 6 months or longer was found to be strongly linked with nonrelapsing disease.

• Adolescent age at onset was significantly linked to relapsing disease.

• During the same time span, the use of rituximab grew from 13.5% to 28.3%, while the relapse rate decreased.

• At 1 year, a modified NEOS score was related to a higher likelihood of low functional status.