Autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy, presenting as encephalomyelitis: A Case report 

Background: A novel autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) disorder with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-IgG as biomarker was recently characterized. Here, a 40-year-old male patients with encephalomyelitis and GFAP-IgG positivity are described. Case presentation: This case report describes a patient with autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy, a 40-year-old male who presented with hiccups and lower limb weakness following a fever. Comprehensive neuroimaging and laboratory analyses, combined with clinical manifestations, ultimately led to a diagnosis of encephalomyelitis. The treatment regimen included high-dose steroids and immunosuppressants, resulting in slight improvement of the patient's clinical symptoms. Conclusions: This case highlights the diversity of autoimmune astrocytopathy with GFAP and the importance of early diagnosis, emphasizing the critical role of individualized treatment strategies in improving prognosis. The uniqueness of this case provides new insights for clinicians, suggesting that such rare diseases should be considered in patients with similar symptoms.