Letter to the Edito. Antistreptolysin-O Titers: Implications for Adult PANDAS. ANDREW J. CHURCH, B.SC., and RUSSELL C. DALE, M.B.CH.B., M.R.C.P., London, U.K. Published Online:1 Feb 2002. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.2.320
To the Editor: A diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) is made when neuropsychiatric disease is precipitated by streptococcal infection (1). Antistreptolysin-O titers are an important tool for diagnosing recent streptococcal infection in patients with Sydenham’s chorea and PANDAS, since throat cultures are usually negative because of the latent onset of the neuropsychiatric disease. The upper limit for normal antistreptolysin-O titers is 200 IU/ml in children, but no normal upper limit exists for healthy adults. We propose that an antistreptolysin-O titer of 270 IU/ml is the significant upper limit for healthy adults. This finding will aid in the investigation and diagnosis of new cases of adult PANDAS.
Gabriella True
