Efficacy of early plasmapheresis in Bickerstaff's encephalitis

Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) was performed in a patient with Bic kerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) in its early phase. He was a 27-yea r-old male patient suffering from diplopia, facial palsy and drowsiness fol lowing upper respiratory tract infection, and had high titers of immunoglob ulin G (IgG) antibodies against ganglioside NeuAc alpha 2-8NeuAc alpha 2-3G al beta 1-3GalNAc beta 1-4(NeuAc alpha 2-8NeuAc alpha 2-3)Gal beta 1-4Glc b eta 1-1'Cer (GQ1b) in the serum, DFPP effected immediate improvement of his drowsiness, supporting the diagnosis of BBE, Our observations suggest that DFPP during the early phase of BBE efficiently prevents the progression of consciousness disturbances.