Clinical Characteristics and Short-Term Outcomes of Pediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Single-Center Cohort Study

Objective The study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of children with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) in North Vietnam. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 102 children diagnosed with AE at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital between August 2023 and September 2025 based on Cellucci et al. criteria 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, neuroimaging, and antibody data were collected. Short-term (3-month) outcomes were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) by the pediatric neurologist. The children were divided into good (scores ≤ 2) and poor (scores > 2). Results The mean age was 8.4 ± 3.9 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.5. Anti-NMDAR AE accounted for 80% of antibody-positive cases, followed by anti-MOG (18.7%) and anti-GABA (1.3%). The most common symptoms were speech disorders (85.3%), sleep disorders (76.5%), seizures (57.8%), and behavioral abnormalities (53.9%). At 3 months, 74.5% achieved good recovery (mRS ≤ 2), with higher rates in anti-MOG (78.6%) and antibody-negative (85.2%) groups, and the lowest in anti-NMDAR AE (68.3%). Independent predictors of poor outcome included dyskinesia (OR 3.39, p = 0.049), higher maximum mRS (OR 2.66, p = 0.019), and longer hospitalization (OR 1.05 per day, p = 0.024). Conclusion Pediatric AE shows heterogeneous presentations, predominantly anti-NMDAR AE, which tends to be more severe. Early recognition of prognostic indicators may improve treatment strategies.