The changing spectrum of antibody-mediated encephalitis in China

In the past 5 years, the positivity rate of autoimmune encephalitis antibody panels has significantly decreased in patients with clinically suspected encephalitis in an encephalitis center in China. Furthermore, the spectrum of patients with autoantibodies related to autoimmune encephalitis has changed significantly, exhibiting a decreased percentage of patients with anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antibodies and an increased percentage of patients with infrequently observed autoantibodies. Meanwhile, a small but non-negligible proportion of patients with autoantibodies against cell surface and synaptic proteins exhibited positivity for more than one autoantibody. •The positivity rate of autoimmune encephalitis antibody panels has decreased significantly.•The percentage of patients with anti-NMDAR antibodies has decreased significantly in the past 5 years.•A small proportion of patients with autoimmune encephalitis exhibited positivity for more than one autoantibody.