Clinical profiles in patients with Bickerstaff's encephalopathy with or without anti-GQ1b IgG antibody
| Anti-GQ1b IgG | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | Negative | |||
| Number of patients | 15 | 10 | ||
| Sex (M/F) | 10/5 | 7/3 | ||
| Median age (range) | 52 (17–63) | 48 (3–91) | ||
| n | % | n | % | |
| Antecedent illness: | ||||
| Upper respiratory infection | 8 | 53 | 7 | 70 |
| Diarrhoea | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Initial symptoms: | ||||
| Diplopia | 8 | 53 | 5 | 50 |
| Consciousness disturbance | 4 | 27 | 2 | 20 |
| Gait disturbance | 3 | 20 | 4 | 40 |
| Blepharoptosis | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Photophobia | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Dysesthesia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 |
| Dysarthria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Neurological signs during the course of the illness: | ||||
| Consciousness disturbance | ||||
| Drowsiness | 4 | 27 | 9 | 90 |
| Stupor, semicoma, or coma | 3 | 20 | 1 | 10 |
| Blepharoptosis | 4 | 27 | 4 | 40 |
| External ophthalmoplegia | 15 | 100 | 10 | 100 |
| Internal ophthalmoplegia | 6 | 40 | 1 | 10 |
| Nystagmus | 8 | 53 | 3 | 30 |
| Facial weakness | 5 | 33 | 2 | 20 |
| Bulbar palsy | 2 | 13 | 2 | 20 |
| Tendon reflex | ||||
| Brisk | 7 | 46 | 3 | 30 |
| Normal | 1 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
| Decreased | 3 | 20 | 1 | 10 |
| Absent | 4 | 27 | 3 | 30 |
| Babinski's sign | 4 | 27 | 3 | 30 |
| Ataxia | 15 | 100 | 10 | 100 |
| Deep sense impairment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Superficial sense impairment | 1 | 7 | 2 | 20 |