Clinical Research Directory

Clinical Evaluation of a Novel DAB Chromogenic Tissue-Based Assay for Detecting Anti-GABABR Antibodies

This multicenter, blinded, cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the clinical performance of a novel DAB chromogenic tissue-based assay (TBA) for detecting anti-GABAB receptor (anti-GABABR) antibodies. A total of 300 participants will be enrolled across four groups: (a) 50 patients with anti-GABABR antibody-positive encephalitis; (b) 100 patients with suspected autoimmune encephalitis and negative anti-neuronal antibody cell-based assay (CBA); (c) 50 patients with non-autoimmune disease (Alzheimer's disease); and (d) 100 patients with anti-NMDAR antibody-positive encephalitis. Residual serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples will be tested using the optimized DAB-TBA. Discordant results between CBA and DAB-TBA will be adjudicated by an independent panel using confirmatory methods (immunoblot, repeat CBA, and clinical follow-up), and inter-reader agreement will be reported. The sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curve of the assay will be evaluated against the reference standard.

Immunoadsorption Therapy in Managing NMDAR Antibodies Encephalitis

The purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy of immunoadsorption therapy (IA) on improving the neurological status of severe pediatric anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients.

Swiss Pediatric Inflammatory Brain Disease Registry (Swiss-Ped-IBrainD)

The Swiss-Ped-IBrainD is a national patient registry that collects information on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and follow-up of pediatric patients with an inflammatory brain disease in Switzerland. It was first implemented in 2020 in the pediatric clinic of the university hospital in Bern. Further centers all over Switzerland opened for recruitment after that: Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona, Chur, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Winterthur and Zurich. The center in Fribourg is expected open for recruitment in 2025. The registry provides data for national and international monitoring and research. It supports research on inflammatory brain diseases in Switzerland and the exchange of knowledge between clinicians, researchers, and therapists. The registry aims to improve the treatment of children with inflammatory brain diseases and optimizing their health care and quality of life.