Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS): Myth or Reality? The State of the Art on a Controversial Disease
La Bella S, Scorrano G, Rinaldi M, Di Ludovico A, Mainieri F, Attanasi M, Spalice A, Chiarelli F, Breda L. Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS): Myth or Reality? The State of the Art on a Controversial Disease. Microorganisms. 2023 Oct 13;11(10):2549. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11102549. PMID: 37894207; PMCID: PMC10609001.
Despite significant advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis and therapeutic management of affected children, PANDAS remains a subject of dispute among experts. The controversial issues discussed in this paper can primarily be attributed to the challenges associated with establishing a definitive and timely correlation between the occurrence or recurrence of OCD and tic disorder in children who experience multiple GAS infections. Furthermore, it is important to note that the existing research examining the effectiveness of treatment techniques suffers from limitations in terms of sample size and rigorous inclusion criteria, which consequently hinders the provision of robust recommendations. Additional research is required to enhance our comprehension of the real prevalence of the disease, the precise pathogenic pathways involved, and the appropriate evidence-based methodology for its treatment.
