Figure 5. Response percentages of most prescribed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and side effects.

Response percentages of most prescribed AEDs and side effects in patients with (A) anti–gamma-aminobutyric acid B-receptor (GABABR), (B) anti–NMDA receptor (NMDAR), or (C) anti–leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) encephalitis, (D) focal seizures in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis, and (E) faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS) in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis.“Some effect” was scored if noted specifically as a considerable reduction of seizures. In some patients, responses to specific AEDs were not assessable, due to concomitant use of immunotherapy or missing data. *A total of 20/21 patients with anti-GABA_BR encephalitis were treated with levetiracetam (LEV) (n = 16) or valproic acid (VPA) (n = 15), 11 patients were treated with both LEV and VPA. Responses of 2 patients treated with LEV were not assessable. **A total of 40/42 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were treated with LEV (n = 28), VPA (n = 24), or carbamazepine (CBZ) (n = 10); in 17 patients, these AEDs were combined. Responses of seizures of 2 patients treated with VPA, 7 patients treated with LEV, and 4 patients treated with CBZ were not assessable. ***A total of 37 patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis were treated with LEV (n = 29), VPA (n = 19), or CBZ (n = 22); in 25 patients, combinations of these AEDs were used. Responses of seizures of 4 patients treated with VPA, 6 patients treated with LEV, and 1 patient treated with CBZ were not assessable. Comparing patients treated with both LEV and CBZ (most prescribed, n = 15), CBZ was more effective (p = 0.031). In the LGI1 group, only 4 patients were treated with oxcarbazepine, 1 patient reached seizure freedom, 1 patient showed some effect, and 2 had no effect. Treatment responses of patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis are also shown for focal seizures (D) and FBDS (E). FBDS hardly responded to VPA, LEV, or CBZ, while focal seizures responded somewhat better to carbamazepine.