PANDAS-AN

[Buster]

I just ran across the following paper in European Eating Disorders Review, Volume 18, Issue 2 (p 116-123) March 2010:

 

PANDAS and anorexia nervosa--a spotters' guide: suggestions for medical assessment

by Vincenzi B, O'Toole J, Lask B.

 

There's not a lot new in the paper but it does resurface some of Mae Sokol's work. The main conclusion of the paper is to consider PANDAS-AN when AN presents and there was a recent upper respiratory infection. One should then look at:

1. A throat swab with a specific request for examination
   for GABHS infection
   
2. ESR, CRP and routine blood tests e.g. white cell counts
   
3. GABHS antibodies, either ASO or antiDNAseB, but preferably both
   
4. AnAb (anti-neuronal antibodies) and, if at all possible, D8/17. Although this latter is probably the least available of all the relevant investigation it is likely to be the most useful
   

I was a little surprised by #4 as I thought the D8/17 test was not available. The Anti-neuronal antibodies they are referring to are Church and Dale's AnAB tests. There wasn't any reference to Kirvan or Cunninham's work. Nothing super special in the paper, but it's recent and a good summary of the literature todate.

 

Buster