Steroid-Responsive Involuntary Movements as a Remote Symptom of Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a rare epileptic encephalopathy that occurs in children or adolescents. To date, evidence for the management of the post-acute phase of FIRES is focused on drug-resistant epilepsy that continues from the acute phase. Information on involuntary movements, which are newly developed in the chronic phase, is limited. We report a 13-year-old boy, who had a history of FIRES at nine years of age and experienced worsening seizure control that was accompanied by unremitting involuntary movements after two years of a fairly controlled period. The involuntary movements resulted in motor deterioration and forced him to be bedridden. Although no neuronal autoantibodies were detected, we hypothesized that the boy's neurological deterioration was triggered by an autoimmune response based on the elevation of serum anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase and serum anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies and hypermetabolism of bilateral lenticular nuclei on 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography that resembled those reported in patients with other types of autoimmune encephalitis. Serial methylprednisolone pulse therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy ameliorated involuntary movements and improved his activities of daily living. Late-onset involuntary movements, along with seizure exacerbation, may appear in the chronic phase of FIRES. Immunotherapy could be effective in treating these symptoms.