Infantile spasms: A U.S. consensus report

New insights into epileptic spasm generation and treatment from the TTX animal model

Currently, we have an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms underlying infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS). However, over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to develop IESS animal models to provide much-needed mechanistic information for therapy development. Our laboratory has focused on the TTX model and in this paper, we review some of our findings. To induce spasms, tetrodotoxin (TTX) is infused into the neocortex of infant rats. TTX produces a lesion at its infusion site and thus mimics IESS resulting from acquired structural brain abnormalities. Subsequent electrophysiological studies showed that the epileptic spasms originate from neocortical layer V pyramidal cells. Importantly, experimental maneuvers that increase the excitability of these cells produce focal seizures in non-epileptic control animals but never produce them in TTX-infused epileptic rats; instead, epileptic spasms are produced in epileptic rats, indicating a significant transformation in the operations of neocortical networks. At the molecular level, studies showed that the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 was markedly reduced in the cortex and this corresponded with a loss of presynaptic GABAergic nerve terminals. Very similar observations were made in surgically resected tissue from IESS patients with a history of perinatal strokes. Other experiments in conditional knockout mice indicated that IGF-1 plays a critical role in the maturation of neocortical inhibitory connectivity. This finding led to our hypothesis that the loss of IGF-1 in epileptic animals impairs inhibitory interneuron synaptogenesis and is responsible for spasms. To test this idea, we treated epileptic rats with the IGF-1-derived tripeptide (1-3)IGF-1, which was shown to act through IGF-1's receptor. (1-3)IGF-1 rescued inhibitory interneuron connectivity, restored IGF-1 levels, and abolished spasms. Thus, (1-3)IGF-1 or its analogs are potential novel treatments for IESS following perinatal brain injury. We conclude by discussing our findings in the broader context of the often-debated final common pathway hypothesis for IESS. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: We review findings from the TTX animal model of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome, which show that these seizures come from an area of the brain called the neocortex. In this area, the amount of an important growth factor called IGF-1 is reduced, as is the number of inhibitory synapses that play an important role in preventing seizures. Other results indicate that the loss of IGF-1 prevents the normal development of these inhibitory synapses. Treatment of epileptic animals with (1-3)IGF-1 restored IGF-1 levels and inhibitory synapses and abolished spasms. Thus, (1-3)IGF-1 or an analog is a potential new therapy for epileptic spasms.

Disparities in the utilization of genetic testing for non-acquired infantile epileptic spasms syndrome in a single healthcare center in North Carolina

OBJECTIVE

To investigate disparities in the utilization of genetic sequencing among children with Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome (IESS), a severe early-onset epilepsy where timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial for improving neurodevelopmental outcomes, previous studies have highlighted disparities in the evaluation and management of IESS. Genetic sequencing has emerged as a crucial tool in diagnosing unexplained epilepsies, offering precise etiological insights that can guide management. Despite guidelines recommending genetic sequencing for all unexplained epilepsies, little is known about how demographic and clinical factors influence the utilization of genetic sequencing in children with IESS.

METHODS

Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study, of 121 children diagnosed with IESS (2015-2020) within a single healthcare system. The primary outcome was the association between the utilization of genetic sequencing and demographic factors (race, ethnicity, language, rurality, and insurance status). Secondary outcomes included the utilization of genetic sequencing and its association with healthcare providers or clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Genetic sequencing was performed in 64% (n = 74) of the patients with IESS. Race was significantly associated with the utilization of genetic sequencing, with non-Hispanic Black/African American children having significantly lower odds of undergoing genetic testing (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.04-0.74, p = 0.02). No significant associations were found between language, rurality, or insurance status and the utilization of genetic sequencing. Notably, a low number of patients were from small towns and rural areas (7%). Clinical measures of seizure severity, including the presence of additional seizure types (p = 0.039) and the use of interventions in addition to standard IESS treatments (p = 0.01), were associated with higher rates of genetic sequencing.

SIGNIFICANCE

Non-Hispanic Black/African American children with IESS were less likely to undergo genetic sequencing. These findings underscore the need for evidence-based solutions addressing genetic sequencing utilization that may disproportionately impact children with IESS from medically underserved groups.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

This study looked at how genetic testing is used in children with Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome (IESS), a serious type of epilepsy. The results showed that Black/African American children were much less likely to receive genetic testing compared to children of other racial groups, even though this testing is important for diagnosing and treating IESS. The study also found that only 7% of children in the study came from small towns or rural areas, suggesting that children in these areas may not have the same access to healthcare. These findings show the need for more research to understand and address gaps in genetic testing for children with IESS.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone versus Prednisolone for Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Economic Evaluation

BACKGROUND

 Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is the most common epileptic encephalopathy in infancy and early childhood. At present, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and prednisolone are commonly used as drug treatment regimens for IESS. However, evidence of efficacy and economics remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and economy of ACTH and prednisolone of IESS.

METHODS

 Seven literature databases and two clinical trial registration platforms were searched, and a meta-analysis was conducted. From the perspective of the health care system, a 14-day economic evaluation was conducted. The rate of spasm cessation on the 14th day was used as the effect index. The univariate sensitivity analysis was used to verify the robustness of the results.

RESULTS

 Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Current clinical evidence is not sufficient to prove the difference in the rate of spasm cessation on the 14th day (risk ratio [RR] = 1.05, 95% CI 0.86-1.27, p = 0.64) and total adverse event rate (RR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.53-1.42, p = 0.57). ACTH had an advantage in improving electroclinical response on the 14th day (RR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.09-1.96, p = 0.01) and reducing the number of months taken for relapse (mean difference = 1.65, 95% CI 1.01-2.29, p < 0.01). The cost of ACTH and prednisolone was 5,629.19 yuan and 5.56 yuan, respectively. Univariate sensitivity analysis showed the most influential factor was the cost of ACTH.

CONCLUSIONS

 There is insufficient evidence to determine whether ACTH or prednisolone is better in the short-term regimen of IESS. ACTH may have more advantages in improving the long-term outcome of IESS. In China, a prednisolone regimen of IESS has a lower cost within 14 days.

Clinical Features and Predictors of Unfavorable Outcomes in Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome: Results from a Multiancestry Cohort

Background: Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome is an epileptic encephalopathy with poor prognosis. Objective: To describe clinical features and predictors of unfavorable outcomes of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome in a multiancestry cohort. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional chart review analysis at a single tertiary pediatric hospital in 56 patients with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. Results: Fifty-nine percent were males. Most patients (57%) were from the Middle East North African region. The mean age at onset of spasms was 6.6 months (±3.5 mo). At presentation, 80% of patients had a preexisting neurologic disorder, an abnormal development (66%), and/or an abnormal neurologic examination (73%). Hypsarrhythmia on electroencephalography (EEG) was reported in 55% of patients. Etiology was identified in 75%. Abnormalities on neuroimaging were common (70%), and 54% had abnormal genetic testing. The preferred first-line treatment was vigabatrin (66%) followed by high-dose oral steroids (16%). Only a minority (∼30%) experienced complete resolution of their epileptic spasms/hypsarrhythmia by 2 weeks. At the last follow-up, 84% of patients had an abnormal development and 40% were still on antiseizure medications. Comorbidities were common (75%). The majority of patients had unfavorable outcomes, including abnormal development (84%) and/or drug-resistant epilepsy (45%). Preexisting abnormal development/neurologic examination or neurologic conditions, perinatal risk factors, neuroimaging abnormalities, and an identified etiology were associated with increased odds ratios for unfavorable developmental outcomes or drug-resistant epilepsy. Significance: Clinical features and outcomes of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome in this multiancestry cohort confirms findings of previous epidemiologic studies, recognizes some differences, and highlights risk factors that can be used for early identification of patients with predicted unfavorable outcomes.

Liquid Medication Dosing Errors: Comparison of a Ready-to-Use Vigabatrin Solution to Reconstituted Solutions of Vigabatrin Powder for Oral Solution

INTRODUCTION

Vigabatrin (VGB) is intended for use by caregivers of infants (1 month to 2 years old) diagnosed with infantile spasms (IS). Commercially available vigabatrin powders require caregiver reconstitution prior to oral administration. This study compared the ability of caregivers to accurately provide a targeted dose of vigabatrin using a ready-to-use (RTU) vigabatrin oral solution (VGB-RTU solution) and SABRIL® (vigabatrin) powder for oral solution, Lundbeck LLC, (vigabatrin powder) without instruction from a healthcare professional.

METHODS

A crossover comparative usability study with 30 lay users (15 caregivers with vigabatrin powder experience and 15 oral-syringe/medication preparation naïve users) which required users to deliver a single dose of both VGB-RTU surrogate solution and vigabatrin powder to a sample collection bottle was performed. Doses were measured analytically with a primary endpoint to deliver doses within ± 10% of the target dose of 1125 mg.

RESULTS

All 30 participants administered VGB-RTU solution doses within ± 5% of the target, while only 23/30 of the vigabatrin powder doses were within ± 10%. All naïve users delivered vigabatrin doses using VGB-RTU solution within ± 5% of the target; whereas only 13/15 delivered doses within ± 10% for vigabatrin powder. All experienced vigabatrin users delivered calculated vigabatrin doses using VGB-RTU solution within ± 3%; whereas only 10/15 delivered doses within ± 10% for vigabatrin powder. Users were equally able to accurately deliver the prescribed volumes of both products. Calculated doses of VGB-RTU solution (mg) were significantly less variable (p < 0.0001) and more accurate (p < 0.01) than doses of vigabatrin powder.

CONCLUSION

Caregivers delivered more accurate and less variable doses of the ready-to-use solution compared to solutions prepared from vigabatrin powders for oral solution. These differences were shown to be due to caregiver errors in reconstituting vigabatrin powders for oral solution.

Management of Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a group of rare, severe, early-onset epilepsies characterized by pharmacoresistance, marked electroencephalographic abnormalities, and delayed or regressive psychomotor development. DEEs are associated with poor long-term outcomes and increased mortality; however, early recognition and targeted treatment can impact neurodevelopmental outcomes and overall quality of life. Treatment with antiseizure medication is often challenging given drug resistance, chronic polypharmacy, and medication interactions. With advances in genetic testing and increased understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of DEEs, the treatment approach is evolving and includes repurposed antiseizure medications and targeted therapies, as well as early surgical intervention in select patients. In addition to high seizure burden and neurodevelopmental delay, DEEs are associated with comorbidities affecting a range of body systems; these can include intellectual disability, psychiatric disorders, motor dysfunction, and respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. Over time, these comorbidities increase the complexity of management and have important implications on the disease burden and quality of life for both patients and their caregivers. Multidisciplinary care in DEEs is paramount. We summarize the current evidence on the management of specific DEEs, focusing on targeted therapies and optimizing outcomes.

Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: an etiologic study of 361 patients with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome

Introduction

Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome (IESS) typically has a profound impact on the neurodevelopment of patients. The study on IESS indicates possible geographical variation in etiology and a lack of data from China. Our study intends to summarize the etiology of IESS and analyze its characteristics.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed to gather clinical data from patients diagnosed with IESS at the Department of Neurology of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University between June 2017 to May 2024.

Results

A total of 361 patients with IESS were included, comprising 115 structural cases (31.9%), 37 genetic cases (10.2%), 32 genetic-structural cases (8.9%), 9 metabolic cases (2.5%), 3 infectious cases (0.8%), and 165 cases with unknown etiology (45.7%). No immunological cause was determined. The primary cause of the condition was linked to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), with structural brain abnormalities following closely. The predominant pathogenic genes identified were TSC2, NF1, SCN8A, and KCNQ2. Male gender, preterm infants, low birth weight infants, and developmental regression in patients were associated with a higher likelihood of structural etiology. Patients exhibiting developmental regression before the commencement demonstrated inferior outcomes. Patients administered adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) exhibited a higher likelihood of attaining seizure control, and those who responded favorably to the medication saw improved results.

Conclusion

The predominant etiology of IESS is structural, succeeded by genetic factors, with significant pathogenic genes comprising TSC2, NF1, SCN8A, and KCNQ2. The genetic classifications exhibit geographic variability. Genetic and structural etiologies are frequently linked to an unfavorable prognosis. Genetic testing can help clarify the etiology of IESS when metabolic screening and brain MRI results are negative. The advancement of genetic testing is crucial for future targeted and individualized diagnosis and therapy.

IGF-1 impacts neocortical interneuron connectivity in epileptic spasm generation and resolution

Little is known about the mechanisms that generate epileptic spasms following perinatal brain injury. Recent studies have implicated reduced levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in these patients' brains. Other studies have reported low levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA. In the TTX brain injury model of epileptic spasms, we undertook experiments to evaluate the impact of IGF-1 deficiencies on neocortical interneurons and their role in spasms. Quantitative immunohistochemical analyses revealed that neocortical interneurons that express glutamic acid decarboxylase, parvalbumin, or synaptotagmin 2 co-express IGF-1. In epileptic rats, expression of these three interneuron markers were reduced in the neocortex. IGF-1 expression was also reduced, but surprisingly this loss was confined to interneurons. Interneuron connectivity was reduced in tandem with IGF-1 deficiencies. Similar changes were observed in surgically resected neocortex from infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) patients. To evaluate the impact of IGF-1 deficiencies on interneuron development, IGF-1R levels were reduced in the neocortex of neonatal conditional IGF-1R knock out mice by viral injections. Four weeks later, this experimental maneuver resulted in similar reductions in interneuron connectivity. Treatment with the IGF-1 derived tripeptide, (1-3)IGF-1, abolished epileptic spasms in most animals, rescued interneuron connectivity, and restored neocortical levels of IGF-1. Our results implicate interneuron IGF-1 deficiencies, possibly impaired autocrine IGF-1 signaling and a resultant interneuron dysmaturation in epileptic spasm generation. By restoring IGF-1 levels, (1-3)IGF-1 likely suppresses spasms by rescuing interneuron connectivity. Results point to (1-3)IGF-1 and its analogues as potential novel disease-modifying therapies for this neurodevelopmental disorder.

Efficacy and tolerability of celastrol and edaravone in the multiple-hit rat model of infantile spasms

OBJECTIVE

To test whether anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drugs that inhibit the nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB), celastrol and edaravone, suppress spasms and improve developmental outcomes in the multiple-hit rat model of refractory infantile spasms (IS) due to structural lesions.

METHODS

Postnatal day 3 (PN3) Sprague-Dawley rats were treated according to the multiple-hit IS model protocol. Using a randomized, blinded, vehicle-controlled, dose- and time-response study design, we tested the effects of single celastrol [1, 2, or 4 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.), 10-14 rats/group] or edaravone (1, 10 or 30 mg/kg i.p., 14-17 rats/group) injections vs their vehicles on behavioral and electroclinical spasms and developmental milestones. Video-EEG monitoring was done on PN6-7 (n = 11-12 rats/group). Pulse celastrol treatment effects (PN4: 4 mg/kg, PN5-6: 2 mg/kg/day i.p.) were determined on spasms, developmental milestones and Barnes maze. Celastrol and edaravone pharmacokinetics in plasma and neocortex were assessed. Linear mixed model analysis of raw or normalized log-transformed spasm frequencies, considering repeated observations was used.

RESULTS

Single (2-4 mg/kg i.p) or pulse celastrol, but not edaravone, reduced behavioral and electroclinical spasms frequencies within 5hrs. Pulse celastrol did not affect spasm-freedom, survival, developmental milestones or Barnes maze performance. Celastrol had erratic i.p. absorption with maximum concentrations observed between 2-4 h, when effects on spasms were seen. Edaravone had low blood-to-brain permeability.

CONCLUSIONS

Celastrol's efficacy on spasms is partially explained by its better brain penetration than edaravone's. NFkB inhibitors may be useful in treating drug-resistant IS but delivery methods with improved bioavailability and brain permeability are needed.

Etiology-specific subgroup analysis of initial pharmacotherapy in infantile epileptic spasm syndrome: A single-center cohort study

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of initial pharmacotherapy for infantile epileptic spasm syndrome (IESS) with electro-clinical outcome characteristics.

METHOD

A retrospective comparative cohort study with 280 IESS patients was designed; I. vigabatrin monotherapy (n = 129, 46 %); II. hormonotherapy (ACTH/oral prednisolone) (n = 73, 26 %); and III. vigabatrin plus early initiation of hormonotherapy in the first 14 days (n = 78, 28 %). Two types of outcomes were defined: (1) short-term outcome with spasm cessation time ≤42 days and resolution of hypsarrhythmia on the EEG on ≤3 months and (2) long-term outcome with spasm relapse rate or evolution to a new epileptic syndrome.

RESULTS

The etiology-specific diagnoses of the IESS cohort were defined according to the ILAE classification: structural (n = 131, 46.8 %), genetic (n = 28, 10 %), metabolic (n = 13, 4.6 %), immune-infectious (n = 10, 3.6 %), and unknown (n = 98, 35 %). Each treatment modalities had similar short- and long-term outcome characteristics. However, hormonotherapy with steroids (ACTH/oral prednisolone) provided "early IESS resolution" with spasm cessation and resolution of hypsarrhythmia (p = 0.042). The relapse rates of IESS were significantly higher in the etiology well-defined group compared to the unknown group (p = 0.005). The genetic-etiology specific group was more likely to have evolved to a new electro-clinical syndrome with a rate of 83.3 % than the others (p = 0.039).

CONCLUSION

We observed that the early initiation of hormonotherapy with VGB (sequential therapy) should be investigated in etiology well-defined subgroup with short- and long-term outcome characteristics.

A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Cohort Study of Seizure Freedom before Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (the "Gap"). Opportunities for Prevention

Objective

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) is a severe, often treatment-resistant epilepsy syndrome typically diagnosed in early childhood. Many have seizures before diagnosis. Some have periods of seizure freedom before treatment resistance, i.e., a "gap." Review of these gaps may identify early candidate biomarkers of LGS and/or highlight opportunities for intervention.

Methods

We reviewed charts of children diagnosed with LGS born in 2008-2010 and diagnosed with LGS by 2014 at five academic medical centers in New York City using the RENYC (Rare Epilepsies in New York City) database. We collected dates of events of potential biomarkers by chart abstraction, including onset of slow spike-and-wave (SSW) and onset and offset of seizure freedom. Seizure-free periods ("gaps") were defined as greater than 30 days without unprovoked seizures.

Results

Thirty-three children had LGS (52% male; etiology 33% structural-acquired, 6% structural-congenital, 3% genetic-structural, 24% genetic, 33% unknown). Twenty-two (67%) had a gap before diagnosis. Eight of these twenty-two (36%) had SSW described before the gap, five (23%) during the gap, and six (27%) after the gap. A history of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS), age at seizure onset, and age of tonic seizure onset were not different between those with and without a gap. Of 20 (61%) with a history of IESS, 10 (30% of the full cohort) had not received recommended therapy (i.e., ACTH, prednisolone, or vigabatrin) as first-line treatment.

Conclusions

The appearance of SSW, even in seizure-free children, may herald the development of LGS in high-risk children. Further studies on its predictive value are warranted. Our findings also highlight use of recommended first-line therapy for infantile spasms as a potentially modifiable treatment gap in children who subsequently develop LGS.

Therapeutic implications of etiology-specific diagnosis of early-onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (EO-DEEs): A nationwide Turkish cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the etiology-specific diagnosis of early-onset developmental epileptic encephalopathies (EO-DEEs) in a nationwide Turkish cohort to determine the implications for therapeutic management.

METHODS

The cohort comprised 1450 patients who underwent EO-DEE. The utility of genetic testing was assessed with respect to the initial phases of next generation sequencing (NGS) (2005-2013) and the current NGS era (2014-2022). A predefined four-stepwise diagnostic model was evaluated using cost-effectiveness analysis. The diagnostic and potential therapeutic yields of the genetic tests were subsequently determined.

RESULTS

Gene-related EO-DEEs were identified in 48.3 % (n = 701) of the cohort: non-structural genetic (62.6 %), metabolic genetic (15.1 %), and structural genetic (14.1 %). The most common nonstructural genetic variants were SCN1A (n = 132, 18.8 %), CDKL5 (n = 30, 4.2 %), STXBP1 (n = 21, 2.9 %), KCNQ2 (n = 21, 2.9 %), and PCDH19 (n = 17, 2.4 %). The rate of ultra-rare variants (< 0.5 %) was higher in the NGS era (52 %) than that in the initial phase (36 %). The potential therapeutic yields with precision therapy and antiseizure drug modification were defined in 34.5 % and 56.2 % in genetic-EO-DEEs, respectively. The diagnostic model provided an etiology-specific diagnosis at a rate of 78.7 %: structural (nongenetic) (31.4 %), genetic (38.5 %), metabolic (6.1 %), and immune-infectious (2.8 %). Based on a cost-effectiveness analysis, the presented diagnostic model indicated the early implementation of whole-exome sequencing for EO-DEEs.

SIGNIFICANCE

In the present cohort, the higher rate (48.3 %) of gene-related EO-DEE diagnoses in the NGS era provides a potential therapeutic management plan for more patients.

Characteristics of overnight video-EEG monitoring in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome at 2-week follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To determine the optimal duration of electroencephalography (EEG) recording to detect epileptic spasms (ES) based on inpatient overnight video-EEG monitoring in patients with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) at the 2-week follow-up.

METHODS

Patients with IESS and overnight EEG monitoring between January 2020 and June 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Time-to-ES, time-to-sleep and time-to-epileptic encephalopathy (EE) per the Burden of Amplitudes and Epileptiform Discharges (BASED 2021) score. BASED 2021 score were reported. ES and sleep detection sensitivity were calculated with respect to monitoring time. Etiology, treatment, and EEG features were assessed for strength of association with continued ES. Time-to-event analysis was performed with the first ES as the event of interest.

RESULTS

Of 90 patients, 39 (43%) continued to have ES; 78.6% with EE continued to have ES, whereas only 27.4% without EE had ES (odds ratio [OR] 12.05). Structural etiologies were also associated with continued ES (OR 5.24). ES detection was 35.9%, 76.9%, and 84.6% at 1, 4, and 6 h, respectively, with corresponding negative likelihood ratios (NLRs) of .64, .23, and .15. ES detection reached >90% and >95% at 14 and 19 h, respectively. Sleep detection was 52.2%, 84.4%, and 95.6% at 1, 4, and 6 h, respectively, and captured in all patients by 11 h. EE was observed by 6 h for all associated patients.

SIGNIFICANCE

Typical routine EEG durations (<1 h) were not sufficient to detect ES, EE, or sleep in patients with IESS at the 2-week follow-up. Four hour outpatient EEG will capture ES in 77% and sleep in 84% of the patients. EE, if present, was shortly after sleep onset. Additional monitoring of up to 19 h was needed to capture >95% of patients with ES. Although EE was strongly associated with continued ES, 27.4% of patients without EE demonstrated ES. This study will help guide adequate duration of EEG monitoring at the 2-week follow-up for patients with IESS.

Study on the gut microbiota, HPA, and cytokine levels in infantile spasms

OBJECTIVE

The mechanisms driving the progression of infantile spasms are not well understood. We aimed to investigate the changes and correlations of the gut microbiota, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones, and the inflammatory cytokines in children with infantile spasms before and after treatment in order to provide a reference for future pathogenesis research.

METHODS

Children with infantile spasms who were admitted to our hospital were recruited into the case group. The case group was divided into the pre-treatment group (group A, n = 14), the 2 weeks after treatment group (group B), and the 1 month after treatment group (group C). On the other hand, healthy children with the same sex ratio as the case group were recruited into the control group (group D, n = 14). Three stool and blood samples were collected before treatment, 2 weeks after treatment, and 1 month after treatment. The serum samples were analyzed using cytometric bead array (CBA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) to measure the levels of HPA axis hormones and inflammatory cytokines. The collected stool samples were sequenced using 16S rDNA.

RESULTS

The pre-treatment group demonstrated elevated levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17α, which decreased with treatment. The level of CRH was lower in the effective group than that in the ineffective group. Sutterellaceae was lower in the pre-treatment group than that in the control group. Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis was positively associated with CRH concentration (p < 0.05). After treatment, Sutterellaceae was negatively associated with IL-2 and TNF-α (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study found that imbalance of the gut microbiota may be involved in the pathogenesis of infantile spasms and is related to the response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Lachnospiraceae and Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis might be involved in the disease onset. Sutterellaceae might have a link to children's improved health.

Human milk and breastfeeding during ketogenic diet therapy in infants with epilepsy: Clinical practice guideline

Ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) is a safe and effective treatment for epilepsy and glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) deficiency syndrome in infancy. Complete weaning from breastfeeding is not required to implement KDT; however, breastfeeding remains uncommon. Barriers include feasibility concerns and lack of referrals to expert centres. Therefore, practical strategies are needed to help mothers and professionals overcome these barriers and facilitate the inclusion of breastfeeding and human milk during KDT. A multidisciplinary expert panel met online to address clinical concerns, systematically reviewed the literature, and conducted two international surveys to develop an expert consensus of practical recommendations for including human milk and breastfeeding in KDT. The need to educate about the nutritional benefits of human milk and to increase breastfeeding rates is emphasized. Prospective real-world registries could help to collect data on the implementation of breastfeeding and the use of human milk in KDT, while systematically including non-seizure-related outcomes, such as quality of life, and social and emotional well-being, which could improve outcomes for infants and mothers. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Human milk and breastfeeding can be incorporated safely into ketogenic diet therapy. With expert guidance, human milk and breastfeeding do not reduce diet effectiveness. We show two strategies for clinical practice to include human milk. Mothers can be encouraged to continue breastfeeding.

Potential roles of voltage-gated ion channel disruption in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a lynchpin disorder, as it results in overactive mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, which has been implicated in a multitude of disease states. TSC is an autosomal dominant disease where 90% of affected individuals develop epilepsy. Epilepsy results from aberrant neuronal excitability that leads to recurring seizures. Under neurotypical conditions, the coordinated activity of voltage-gated ion channels keep neurons operating in an optimal range, thus providing network stability. Interestingly, loss or gain of function mutations in voltage-gated potassium, sodium, or calcium channels leads to altered excitability and seizures. To date, little is known about voltage-gated ion channel expression and function in TSC. However, data is beginning to emerge on how mTOR signaling regulates voltage-gated ion channel expression in neurons. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature describing common seizure types in patients with TSC, and suggest possible parallels between acquired epilepsies with known voltage-gated ion channel dysfunction. Furthermore, we discuss possible links toward mTOR regulation of voltage-gated ion channels expression and channel kinetics and the underlying epileptic manifestations in patients with TSC.

The Utility of Genetic Testing in Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome: A Step-Based Approach in the Next-Generation Sequencing Era

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the utility of genetic testing for etiology-specific diagnosis (ESD) in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) with a step-based diagnostic approach in the next-generation sequencing (NGS) era.

METHODS

The study cohort consisted of 314 patients with IESS, followed by the Pediatric Neurology Division of Ege University Hospital between 2005 and 2021. The ESD was evaluated using a step-based approach: step I (clinical phenomenology), step II (neuroimaging), step III (metabolic screening), and step IV (genetic testing). The diagnostic utility of genetic testing was evaluated to compare the early-NGS period (2005 to 2013, n = 183) and the NGS era (2014 to 2021, n = 131).

RESULTS

An ESD was established in 221 of 314 (70.4%) infants with IESS: structural, 40.8%; genetic, 17.2%; metabolic, 8.3%; immune-infectious, 4.1%. The diagnostic yield of genetic testing increased from 8.9% to 41.7% in the cohort during the four follow-up periods. The rate of unknown etiology decreased from 34.9% to 22.1% during the follow-up periods. The genetic ESD was established as 27.4% with genetic testing in the NGS era. The genetic testing in the NGS era increased dramatically in subgroups with unknown and structural etiologies. The diagnostic yields of the epilepsy panels increased from 7.6% to 19.2%. However, the diagnostic yield of whole exome sequencing remained at similar levels during the early-NGS period at 54.5% and in the NGS era at 59%.

CONCLUSIONS

The more genetic ESD (27.4%) was defined for IESS in the NGS era with the implication of precision therapy (37.7%).

Identification and treatment of surgically-remediable causes of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is a common developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with poor long-term outcomes. A substantial proportion of patients with IESS have a potentially surgically remediable etiology. Despite this, epilepsy surgery is underutilized in this patient group. Some surgically remediable etiologies, such as focal cortical dysplasia and malformation of cortical development with oligodendroglial hyperplasia in epilepsy (MOGHE), are under-diagnosed in infants and young children. Even when a surgically remediable etiology is recognised, for example, tuberous sclerosis or focal encephalomalacia, epilepsy surgery may be delayed or not considered due to diffuse EEG changes, unclear surgical boundaries, or concerns about operating in this age group.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, the authors discuss the common surgically remediable etiologies of IESS, their clinical and EEG features, and the imaging techniques that can aid in their diagnosis. They then describe the surgical approaches used in this patient group, and the beneficial impact that early epilepsy surgery can have on developing brain networks.

EXPERT OPINION

Epilepsy surgery remains underutilized even when a potentially surgically remediable cause is recognized. Overcoming the barriers that result in under-recognition of surgical candidates and underutilization of epilepsy surgery in IESS will improve long-term seizure and developmental outcomes.

Metabolic etiologies in children with infantile epileptic spasm syndrome: Experience at a tertiary pediatric neurology center

OBJECTIVE

Infantile epileptic spasm syndrome (IESS), including West syndrome (WS) and infantile spasm (IS), causes a challenging prognosis, particularly when associated with metabolic etiologies.

METHODS

This study, conducted at a tertiary pediatric neurology center, explored the prevalence and clinical features of inborn errors of metabolism in 112 children with IESS over 10 years.

RESULTS

Most patients presented with seizures, primarily flexor spasms, and the median age at onset was 5 months. Comprehensive clinical evaluation and neuroimaging revealed structural-acquired causes as the most common etiology. Notably, inborn errors of metabolism were identified in 5.4 % of cases, with six distinct diagnoses including nonketotic hyperglycinemia, pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy, primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency 7, congenital disorder of glycosylation type IIM, 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydrobiopterin synthase deficiency, and argininosuccinate lyase deficiency. The prevalence of inborn errors of metabolism in this cohort was consistent with global variations reported in the literature. Genetic testing, including karyotype analysis and whole exome sequencing, was performed in a subset of cases with no clear diagnosis, revealing abnormalities in approximately 50 % of cases. Adrenocorticotropic hormone emerged as the most frequently prescribed antiseizure medication.

CONCLUSION

This study provides insight into the diagnostic challenges associated with IESS and highlights the importance of metabolic investigations, especially in cases without a clear etiology. The findings emphasize the need for further genetic and metabolic studies to enhance prognostic accuracy and guide potential treatment options for children with IESS, particularly in populations with high rates of consanguinity.

Pediatric epilepsy syndromes with associated developmental impairment

In 2022, the International League Against Epilepsy revised their classification of epilepsy syndromes for clinicians to better understand the relationships between different epilepsy syndromes, their underlying causes, and their associated developmental and behavioral features. This review highlights portions of the current classification with an emphasis on epilepsy syndromes that readily present with developmental challenges and provides a unique framework, based on electroencephalography, to easily identify and understand these syndromes. Included in this review are a helpful categorization scheme with visual aid, descriptions of updated epilepsy syndromes, figures of relevant identifiers of syndrome and information regarding future directions toward treatment and research. Covered syndromes include developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, Dravet syndrome, Rasmussen syndrome, and infantile epileptic spasm syndrome, among others. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: The revised epilepsy syndrome classification by the International League Against Epilepsy aims to improve the outcomes for children with epilepsy. The electroencephalography features of epilepsy syndromes are grouped based on a categorization model. This model allows clinicians to understand overlapping phenotypes and aid with both identification and diagnosis.

Adrenocortical Function Recovery from Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency After ACTH Therapy in a Patient with West Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report a 1-year-7-month-old boy with West syndrome who had associated secondary adrenal insufficiency as a side effect of synthetic ACTH therapy. Serial investigation using corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation tests revealed the time course of his hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis recovery after the secondary adrenal insufficiency. Three days after completion of the ACTH therapy, the basal cortisol, peak cortisol, and peak ACTH levels were all low. One month after ACTH therapy, the basal cortisol level exceeded the cutoff level for intact adrenocortical function, and the peak ACTH level had improved. Five months after ACTH therapy, the peak cortisol level exceeded the cutoff level for intact adrenocortical function. The secondary adrenal insufficiency after ACTH therapy and the four months' time lag between the recovery timing of the basal and peak cortisol levels on CRH stimulation tests were notable findings. This follow-up data is valuable information for understanding the timeline for the process of recovery of the HPA axis from secondary adrenal insufficiency, that should lead to appropriate protocols for adrenal testing and adrenocorticosteroid replacement for patients who have undergone ACTH therapy. We also reviewed previous studies on secondary adrenal insufficiency after ACTH therapy in terms of incidence rate, onset risk factors, and recovery from it. Based on our own experience and previous reports, we suggest secondary adrenal insufficiency after ACTH therapy as follows: regarding the total synthetic ACTH dose administered, approximately 0.2 mg/kg of ACTH could cause secondary adrenal insufficiency. As for the required period for convalescence from secondary adrenal insufficiency, it would take from two to five months.

Diagnosis and management of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Expert consensus statement

Despite the availability of international recommendations for the management of Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome (IESS), there is a lack of recommendations adapted to the local context of clinical practice of pediatric neurology in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. By an initiative from the Saudi Pediatric Neurology Society (SPNS), a literature review was performed and an expert panel comprised of 13 pediatric neurologists from all GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates) was subsequently convened to discuss all issues related to the management and diagnosis practices of IESS in the GCC. The overall aim of this consensus document was to develop practical recommendations to support the care of patients with IESS in the GCC and to reflect on how clinical management approaches compare with those adopted internationally.

Treatment modalities for infantile spasms: current considerations and evolving strategies in clinical practice

Infantile spasms, newly classified as infantile epileptic spasm syndrome (IESS), occur in children under 2 years of age and present as an occur as brief, symmetrical, contractions of the musculature of the neck, trunk, and extremities. When infantile spasms occur with a concomitant hypsarrhythmia on electroencephalogram (EEG) and developmental regression, it is known as West Syndrome. There is no universally accepted mainstay of treatment for this condition, but some options include synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), repository corticotropin injection (RCI/Acthar Gel), corticosteroids, valproic acid, vigabatrin, and surgery. Without effective treatment, infantile spasms can cause an impairment of psychomotor development and/or cognitive and behavioral functions. The first-line treatment in the USA is ACTH related to high efficacy for cessation of infantile spasms long-term and low-cost profile. Acthar Gel is a repository corticotropin intramuscular injection that became FDA-approved for the treatment of IESS in 2010. Though it is believed that ACTH, Acthar Gel, and corticosteroids all work via a negative feedback pathway to decrease corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) release, their safety and efficacy profiles all vary. Vigabatrin and valproic acid are both anti-seizure medications that work by increasing GABA concentrations in the CNS and decreasing excitatory activity. Acthar Gel has been shown to have superior efficacy and a diminished side effect profile when compared with other treatment modalities.

Quantification of Hypsarrhythmia in Infantile Spasmatic EEG: A Large Cohort Study

Infantile spasms (IS) is a neurological disorder causing mental and/or developmental retardation in many infants. Hypsarrhythmia is a typical symptom in the electroencephalography (EEG) signals with IS. Long-term EEG/video monitoring is most frequently employed in clinical practice for IS diagnosis, from which manual screening of hypsarrhythmia is time consuming and lack of sufficient reliability. This study aims to identify potential biomarkers for automatic IS diagnosis by quantitative analysis of the EEG signals. A large cohort of 101 IS patients and 155 healthy controls (HC) were involved. Typical hypsarrhythmia and non-hypsarrhythmia EEG signals were annotated, and normal EEG were randomly picked from the HC. Root mean square (RMS), teager energy (TE), mean frequency, sample entropy (SamEn), multi-channel SamEn, multi-scale SamEn, and nonlinear correlation coefficient were computed in each sub-band of the three EEG signals, and then compared using either a one-way ANOVA or a Kruskal-Wallis test (based on their distribution) and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The effects of infant age on these features were also investigated. For most of the employed features, significant ( ) differences were observed between hypsarrhythmia EEG and non-hypsarrhythmia EEG or HC, which seem to increase with increased infant age. RMS and TE produce the best classification in the delta and theta bands, while entropy features yields the best performance in the gamma band. Our study suggests RMS and TE (delta and theta bands) and entropy features (gamma band) to be promising biomarkers for automatic detection of hypsarrhythmia in long-term EEG monitoring. The findings of our study indicate the feasibility of automated IS diagnosis using artificial intelligence.

Safety and efficacy of melatonin supplementation as an add-on treatment for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial

This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, single-center placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of melatonin as an add-on treatment for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS). Participants aged 3 months to 2 years with a primary diagnosis of IESS were recruited and assigned to two groups in a 1:1 ratio. Both treatment groups received a combination of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4 ) for 2 weeks, and the treatment group also received melatonin (3 mg) between 20:00 and 21:00 daily, 0.5-1 h before bedtime. The study's primary endpoint was the average reduction rate in spasm frequency assessed by seizure diaries. Secondary endpoints included assessment of the response rate, EEG hypsarrhythmia (Kramer score), and psychomotor development (Denver Developmental Screening Test, DDST). Sleep quality was assessed by using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ), the Infant Sleep Assessment Scale (ISAS), and actigraphy. Safety parameters were also evaluated. Statistical analyses were conducted on intention-to-treat and per-protocol populations. The trial is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (ChiCTR2000036208). Out of 119 screened patients, 70 were randomized and 66 completed treatments. In the intention-to-treat population, there were no significant differences in the average percentage reduction of spasm frequency (median [interquartile range, IQR: Q3-Q1], 100% [46.7%] vs. 66.7% [55.3%], p = .288), the 3-day response rate (51.4% vs. 37.1%, p = .229), the 28-day response rate (42.9% vs. 28.6%, p = .212), EEG Kramer scores (2 [3.5] vs. 2 [3], p = .853), or DDST comprehensive months (5 [2.5] vs. 6 [6], p = .239) between the melatonin (n = 35) and placebo (n = 35) groups. However, caregivers reported improved sleep quality after melatonin treatment, with 85.7% reporting regular sleep compared to 42.9% with placebo (42.9%, p < .001). The melatonin group had lower ISAS scores in 4-11-month-old patients compared to the placebo (mean ± SD, 29.3 ± 4.4 vs. 35.2 ± 5.9, p < .001). Moreover, the median (IQR) value of sleep-onset latency was shortened by 6.0 (24.5) min after melatonin treatment, while that in the placebo group was extended by 3.0 (22.0) min (p = .030). The serum melatonin (6:00 h) level (pg/mL) of the children in the melatonin group after treatment was significantly higher than in the placebo group (median [IQR], 84.8 [142] vs. 17.5 [37.6], p < .001). No adverse effects related to melatonin were observed in the study, and there were no significant differences in adverse effects between the melatonin and placebo groups. Although not statistically significant, the results of this randomized clinical trial proved that melatonin supplementation, as an add-on treatment, can improve spasm control rate in the treatment of IESS. For IESS children treated with ACTH, the addition of melatonin was found to improve sleep quality, shorten sleep onset latency, and increase blood melatonin levels. Moreover, it was observed to be a safe treatment option.

Real-life data comparing the efficacy of vigabatrin and oral steroids given sequentially or combined for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome

AIMS

The prognosis of Infantile epileptic spasm syndrome (IESS), relates to the underlying etiology and delay in controlling epileptic spasms. Based on the spasm-free rate, a randomized controlled trial has demonstrated the superiority of combining oral steroids and vigabatrin over oral steroids alone but confirmation in real-life conditions is mandatory.

METHODS

We compared two real-life IESS cohorts: a multicenter, retrospective cohort of 40 infants treated with vigabatrin followed by a sequential (ST) addition of steroids, and a prospective, single-center cohort of 58 infants treated with an immediate combination of vigabatrin and steroids (CT).

RESULTS

The two cohorts were similar. When the rate of spasm-free infants in the two cohorts was compared on day 14, a significant difference was observed between the ST (27,5 %) and CT cohorts (64 %) (p < 0.0004). This difference remained significant on day 30, with 55 % spasm-free patients in the ST cohort compared to 76 % in the CT cohort (p = 0.03). After the infants had received both vigabatrin and steroids, without taking into account the time point after treatment initiation, no significant difference was observed in the spasm-free rate between the two cohorts (p = 0.38).

INTERPRETATION

Real-life data confirm the interest of combination therapy as a first-line treatment for IESS.

Natural product-derived therapies for treating drug-resistant epilepsies: From ethnopharmacology to evidence-based medicine

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological human diseases, affecting 1% of the population in all age groups. Despite the availability of over 25 anti-seizure medications (ASMs), which are approved in most industrialized countries, approximately 30% of epilepsy patients still experience seizures that are resistant to these drugs. Since ASMs target only limited number of neurochemical mechanisms, drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is not only an unmet medical need, but also a formidable challenge in drug discovery.

AIM

In this review, we examine recently approved epilepsy drugs based on natural product (NP) such as cannabidiol (CBD) and rapamycin, as well as NP-based epilepsy drug candidates still in clinical development, such as huperzine A. We also critically evaluate the therapeutic potential of botanical drugs as polytherapy or adjunct therapy specifically for DRE.

METHODS

Articles related to ethnopharmacological anti-epileptic medicines and NPs in treating all forms of epilepsy were collected from PubMed and Scopus using keywords related to epilepsy, DRE, herbal medicines, and NPs. The database clinicaltrials.gov was used to find ongoing, terminated and planned clinical trials using herbal medicines or NPs in epilepsy treatment.

RESULTS

A comprehensive review on anti-epileptic herbal drugs and natural products from the ethnomedical literature is provided. We discuss the ethnomedical context of recently approved drugs and drug candidates derived from NPs, including CBD, rapamycin, and huperzine A. Recently published studies on natural products with preclinical efficacy in animal models of DRE are summarized. Moreover, we highlight that natural products capable of pharmacologically activating the vagus nerve (VN), such as CBD, may be therapeutically useful to treat DRE.

CONCLUSIONS

The review highlights that herbal drugs utilized in traditional medicine offer a valuable source of potential anti-epileptic drug candidates with novel mechanisms of action, and with clinical promise for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Moreover, recently developed NP-based anti-seizure medications (ASMs) indicate the translational potential of metabolites of plant, microbial, fungal and animal origin.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell line from a patient with epileptic encephalopathy caused by the CYFIP2 R87C variant

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) opened the possibility to use patient cells as a model for several diseases. iPSCs can be reprogrammed from somatic cells collected in a non-invasive way, and then differentiated into any other cell type, while maintaining the donor´s genetic background. CYFIP2 variants were associated with the onset of an early form of epileptic encephalopathy. Studies with patients showed that the R87C variant seems to be one of the variants that causes more severe disease, however, to date there are no studies with a human cell model that allows investigation of the neuronal phenotype of the R87C variant. Here, we generated an iPSC line from a patient with epileptic encephalopathy caused by the CYFIP2 R87C variant. We obtained iPSC clones by reprogramming urinary progenitor cells from a female patient. The generated iPSC line presented a pluripotent stem cell morphology, normal karyotype, expressed pluripotency markers and could be differentiated into the three germ layers. In further studies, this cell line could be used as model for epileptic encephalopathy disease and drug screening studies.

[Application of brain functional connectivity and nonlinear dynamic analysis in brain function assessment for infants with controlled infantile spasm]

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the role of brain functional connectivity and nonlinear dynamic analysis in brain function assessment for infants with controlled infantile spasm (IS).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 14 children with controlled IS (IS group) who were admitted to the Department of Neurology, Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital, from January 2019 to January 2023. Twelve healthy children, matched for sex and age, were enrolled as the control group. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data were analyzed for both groups to compare the features of brain network, and nonlinear dynamic indicators were calculated, including approximate entropy, sample entropy, permutation entropy, and permutation Lempel-Ziv complexity.

RESULTS

Brain functional connectivity showed that compared with the control group, the IS group had an increase in the strength of functional connectivity, and there was a significant difference between the two groups in the connection strength between the Fp2 and F8 channels (P<0.05). The network stability analysis showed that the IS group had a significantly higher network stability than the control group at different time windows (P<0.05). The nonlinear dynamic analysis showed that compared with the control group, the IS group had a significantly lower sample entropy of Fz electrode (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormalities in brain network and sample entropy may be observed in some children with controlled IS, and it is suggested that quantitative EEG analysis parameters can serve as neurological biomarkers for evaluating brain function in children with IS.

Altered serum levels of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β and cluster of differentiation 13 suggest a role for pericytes in West syndrome

BACKGROUND

Pericytes play a role in the maintenance of the blood-brain barrier and neuroinflammation, attracting attention as to whether they are also involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy.This study aimed to explore the relationship between West syndrome and pericytes.

METHODS

Eighteen Japanese pediatric West syndrome patients and nine controls aged 2 years or younger were retrospectively enrolled in this study. We assessed theserumlevels of pericyte markers, serum PDGFRβ (platelet-derived growth factor receptorβ),CD13 (aminopeptidase N), and 27 cytokines in 17 pediatric patients with West syndrome and the control group.

RESULTS

Patients with West syndrome exhibited significantly increased CD13 and decreased PDGFRβ levels, compared with controls but not serum cytokine levels. These values did not differ significantly between symptomatic and idiopathic West syndrome.

CONCLUSION

Pericytes might be implicated in the pathogenesis of West syndrome.

Distribution of peripheral blood mononuclear cell subtypes in patients with West syndrome: Impact of synacthen treatment

BACKGROUND

West Syndrome (WS) is an epileptic encephalopathy that typically occurs in infants and is characterized by hypsarrhythmia, infantile spasms, and neurodevelopmental impairment. Demonstration of autoantibodies and cytokines in some WS patients and favorable response to immunotherapy have implicated inflammation as a putative trigger of epileptiform activity in WS. Our aim was to provide additional support for altered inflammatory responses in WS through peripheral blood immunophenotype analysis.

METHODS

Eight WS cases treated with synacthen and 11 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and immunophenotyping was performed in pre-treatment baseline (8 patients) and 3 months post-treatment (6 patients) samples. The analysis included PBMC expressing NFκB transcription and NLRP3 inflammasome factors.

RESULTS

In pre-treatment baseline samples, switched memory B cells (CD19+IgD-CD27+) were significantly reduced, whereas plasma cells (CD19+CD38+CD138+) and cytotoxic T cells (CD3+CD8+) were significantly increased. Regulatory T and B cell ratios were not significantly altered. Synacthen treatment only marginally reduced helper T cell ratios and did not significantly change other T, B, NK and NKT cell and monocyte ratios.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings lend further support for the involvement of inflammation-related mechanisms in WS. New-onset WS patients are inclined to display increased plasma cells in the peripheral blood. Synacthen treatment does not show a beneficial effect on most effector acquired and innate immunity subsets.

Increased propensity for infantile spasms and altered neocortical excitation-inhibition balance in a mouse model of down syndrome carrying human chromosome 21

Children with Down syndrome (DS, trisomy of chromosome 21) have an increased risk of infantile spasms (IS). As an epileptic encephalopathy, IS may further impair cognitive function and exacerbate neurodevelopmental delays already present in children with DS. To investigate the pathophysiology of IS in DS, we induced IS-like epileptic spasms in a genetic mouse model of DS that carries human chromosome 21q, TcMAC21, the animal model most closely representing gene dosage imbalance in DS. Repetitive extensor/flexor spasms were induced by the GABAB receptor agonist γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and occurred predominantly in young TcMAC21 mice (85%) but also in some euploid mice (25%). During GBL application, background electroencephalographic (EEG) amplitude was reduced, and rhythmic, sharp-and-slow wave activity or high-amplitude burst (epileptiform) events emerged in both TcMAC21 and euploid mice. Spasms occurred only during EEG bursts, but not every burst was accompanied by a spasm. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that basic membrane properties (resting membrane potential, input resistance, action-potential threshold and amplitude, rheobase, input-output relationship) of layer V pyramidal neurons were not different between TcMAC21 mice and euploid controls. However, excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked at various intensities were significantly larger in TcMAC21 mice than euploid controls, while inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) were similar between the two groups, resulting in an increased excitation-inhibition (E-I) ratio. These data show that behavioral spasms with epileptic EEG activity can be induced in young TcMAC21 DS mice, providing proof-of-concept evidence for increased IS susceptibility in these DS mice. Our findings also show that basic membrane properties are similar in TcMAC21 and euploid mice, while the neocortical E-I balance is altered to favor increased excitation in TcMAC21 mice, which may predispose to IS generation.

Core Features Differentiate Dravet Syndrome from Febrile Seizures

An 11-month-old girl with febrile seizures and first unprovoked seizures was evaluated in the hospital. Relevant history included developmental delay and strong family history of febrile seizures and migraines. A routine electroencephalogram was performed and was abnormal due to the presence of a slowed posterior dominant rhythm, generalized spike-wave discharges, and multifocal sharp waves. The findings were concerning for a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Given the concern for a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, a next generation sequence epilepsy gene panel was ordered which identified a pathogenic variant in SCN1A. The clinical history, electroencephalogram, and pathogenic variant were compatible with a diagnosis of Dravet syndrome. This Grand Rounds manuscript highlights the thought process, evaluation, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in Dravet syndrome.

The Effect of Smartphone Video on Lead Time to Diagnosis of Infantile Spasms

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether access to smartphone video capture of infantile spasms at initial presentation is associated with improved time to diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

We conducted a collaborative retrospective cohort study of 80 consecutive infants with confirmed infantile epileptic spasms syndrome initially presenting from 2015 to 2021 at 2 US pediatric centers. Statistical methods used included Mann-Whitney U test to assess the difference in lead times to electroencephalogram (EEG), diagnosis, and treatment between groups with and without video capture. A χ2 analysis was used to assess differences in demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes between groups. Multivariate regression analysis was used to account for etiology types and infantile spasms capture on EEG.

RESULTS

Patients with smartphone video infantile spasms capture initially presented a median of 9 days earlier (P = .02), had their first EEG 16 days earlier (P = .007), and were diagnosed and started treatment 17 days earlier (P = .006 and P = .008, respectively) compared with the nonvideo group. The video group had a 25% greater response to initial standard treatment (P = .02) and a 21% greater freedom from infantile spasms at long-term follow-up (P = .03), although this long-term outcome lost statistical significance after adjustment for etiology type (P = .07) and EEG capture of infantile spasms (P = .059).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest a benefit of smartphone video capture of infantile spasms in reduced time to diagnosis and initial standard treatment, which are associated with improved treatment response rates. Substantial differences in lead times and treatment response highlight the clinical importance of pediatricians recommending caregivers to obtain smartphone video of events concerning for infantile spasms.

Acthar Gel (RCI): A Narrative Literature Review of Clinical and Economic Evidence

Acthar^® Gel (repository corticotropin injection [RCI]) is a naturally sourced complex mixture of adrenocorticotropic hormone analogs and other pituitary peptides used to treat patients with serious and rare inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. This narrative review summarizes the key clinical and economic findings among 9 indications: infantile spasms (IS), multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis and polymyositis (DM/PM), ocular inflammatory diseases (primarily uveitis and severe keratitis), symptomatic sarcoidosis, and proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome (NS). Key studies of clinical efficacy and healthcare resource utilization and cost from 1956 to 2022 are discussed. Evidence supports the efficacy of RCI across all 9 indications. RCI is recommended as first-line treatment for IS and is associated with improved outcomes for the other 8 indications, including increased recovery rates in MS relapse; improved disease control in RA, SLE, and DM/PM; real-world effectiveness in patients with uveitis and severe keratitis; improved lung function and reduced corticosteroid use in symptomatic sarcoidosis; and increased rates of partial remission of proteinuria in NS. For many indications, RCI may improve clinical outcomes during exacerbations or when conventional treatments have failed to show a benefit. RCI is also associated with a reduction in the use of biologics, corticosteroids, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Economic data suggest RCI is a cost-effective, value-based treatment option for MS relapse, RA, and SLE. Other economic benefits have been demonstrated for IS, MS relapses, RA, SLE, and DM/PM, including reduced hospitalizations, lengths of stay, inpatient and outpatient services, and emergency department visits. RCI is considered safe and effective and features economic benefits for numerous indications. Its ability to control relapse and disease activity makes RCI an important nonsteroid treatment option that could help preserve functioning and well-being among patients with inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

Efficacy analysis of oral dexamethasone in the treatment of infantile spasms and infantile spasms related Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or a corticosteroid is the first choice for infantile spasms (IS), and vigabatrin is the first choice for children with tuberous sclerosis. Although corticosteroids may be also effective against IS and IS-related Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), the use of dexamethasone (DEX), a kind of corticosteroid, for these diseases has been rarely reported. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of DEX for the treatment of IS and IS-related LGS.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed as having IS (including patients whose condition evolved to LGS after the failure of early treatment) in our hospital between May 2009 and June 2019 were treated with dexamethasone after failure of prednisone treatment. The oral dose of DEX was 0.15-0.3 mg/kg/d. Thereafter, the clinical efficacy, electroencephalogram (EEG) findings, and adverse effects were observed every 4-12 weeks depending on the individual patient's response. Then, the efficacy and safety of DEX in the treatment of IS and IS-related LGS were retrospectively evaluated.

RESULTS

Among 51 patients (35 cases of IS; 16 cases of IS-related LGS), 35 cases (68.63%) were identified as responders to DEX treatment, comprising 20 cases (39.22%) and 15 cases (29.41%) with complete control and obvious control, respectively. To discuss the syndromes individually, complete control and obvious control were achieved in 14/35 and 9/35 IS cases and in 6/16 and 6/16 IS-related LGS cases, respectively. During DEX withdrawal, 11 of the 20 patients with complete control relapsed (9/14 IS; 2/6 LGS). The duration of dexamethasone treatment (including weaning) in most of the 35 responders was less than 1 year. However, 5 patients were treated with prolonged, low-dose maintenance therapy, which continued for more than 1.5 years. These 5 patients showed complete control, and 3 patients had no recurrence. Except for one child who died of recurrent asthma and epileptic status 3 months after stopping DEX, there were no serious or life-threatening adverse effects during DEX treatment.

CONCLUSION

Oral DEX is effective and tolerable for IS and IS-related LGS. all LGS patients were evolved from IS in this study. The conclusion may not apply to patients with other etiology and courses of LGS. Even when prednisone or ACTH is failed, DEX may still be considered as a treatment option. For children who respond to DEX but do not show complete control after 6 months of treatment, prolonged treatment with low-dose DEX administered in the morning might be considered.

Inaccuracies in Parental Reporting of Treated Epileptic Spasms: Both Under- and Over-Reporting

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of parental reporting of epileptic spasms (ES) after 14 days of appropriate medical therapy for new-onset ES by comparison with extended video electroencephalography (vEEG) monitoring results.

METHODS

Fifty-eight patients were identified from August 2019 to February 2021 with new-onset ES, confirmed on vEEG. Patients were initiated on appropriate treatment (high-dose steroids or vigabatrin). After two weeks of therapy, patients underwent overnight (18 to 24 hours) vEEG monitoring in the epilepsy monitoring unit. Parental reporting of presence or absence of ES on admission was compared with results of vEEG monitoring.

RESULTS

The 58 patients ranged in age from three to 20 months (average 7.8 months). An underlying etiology was identified in 78%, whereas 22% patients had unknown etiology. The overall accuracy of parental reporting was 74% (43 of 58) when compared with results of vEEG within 14 to 18 days of starting therapy. Of these, 65% (28 of 43) reported ES resolution and 35% (15 of 43) reported continued ES. Of the 26% (15 of 58) families who were incorrect at two-week follow-up, 67% (10 of 15) reported resolution of ES. However, a minority of families, 33% (five of 15), who continued to report spasms clinically, were inaccurate.

CONCLUSIONS

Although a majority of inaccurate parental reports at two weeks of treatment were due to unrecognized ES (a widely known phenomenon), a minority were conversely inaccurate due to persistent over-reporting of ES. This fact highlights the importance of correlating parental history with objective vEEG monitoring, to prevent inappropriate escalation of medication therapy.

Choice of pharmaceutical form as a key factor during ketogenic diet: a case report

West syndrome is a severe epilepsy syndrome characterised by the appearance of drug-resistant epileptic disorders associated with hypsarrhythmia and intellectual disability. Among non-pharmacological treatments, the ketogenic diet, which consists of low carbohydrate intake and a rich lipid intake, stands out. This treatment induces a state of ketosis, which has been related to a decrease in the number of seizures. It is essential to control the carbohydrate intake within drug treatment for these patients since many pharmaceutical forms, specifically liquid oral medication, may contain carbohydrates in the form of mono/polysaccharides or polyols. We describe the case report of an infant with drug-resistant West syndrome, treated with a ketogenic diet, whose antiseizure liquid medication impeded a proper response to the diet. After the substitution of these medications, the patient showed a remarkable decrease in the number of seizures.

Heterozygous GABAA receptor β3 subunit N110D knock-in mice have epileptic spasms

OBJECTIVE

Infantile spasms is an epileptic encephalopathy of childhood, and its pathophysiology is largely unknown. We generated a heterozygous knock-in mouse with the human infantile spasms-associated de novo mutation GABRB3 (c.A328G, p.N110D) to investigate its molecular mechanisms and to establish the Gabrb3+/N110D knock-in mouse as a model of infantile spasms syndrome.

METHODS

We used electroencephalography (EEG) and video monitoring to characterize seizure types, and a suite of behavioral tests to identify neurological and behavioral impairment in Gabrb3+/N110D knock-in mice. Miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) were recorded from layer V/VI pyramidal neurons in somatosensory cortex, and extracellular multi-unit recordings from the ventral basal nucleus of the thalamus in a horizontal thalamocortical slice were used to assess spontaneous thalamocortical oscillations.

RESULTS

The infantile spasms-associated human de novo mutation GABRB3 (c.A328G, p.N110D) caused epileptic spasms early in development and multiple seizure types in adult Gabrb3+/N110D knock-in mice. Signs of neurological impairment, anxiety, hyperactivity, social impairment, and deficits in spatial learning and memory were also observed. Gabrb3+/N110D mice had reduced cortical mIPSCs and increased duration of spontaneous oscillatory firing in the somatosensory thalamocortical circuit.

SIGNIFICANCE

The Gabrb3+/N110D knock-in mouse has epileptic spasms, seizures, and other neurological impairments that are consistent with infantile spasms syndrome in patients. Multiple seizure types and abnormal behaviors indicative of neurological impairment both early and late in development suggest that Gabrb3+/N110D mice can be used to study the pathophysiology of infantile spasms. Reduced cortical inhibition and increased duration of thalamocortical oscillatory firing suggest perturbations in thalamocortical circuits.

Temporal trends in the cost and use of first-line treatments for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To describe the temporal trends in the cost and use of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), oral prednisolone, and vigabatrin, the first-line treatments for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS).

METHODS

Retrospective observational study using the MarketScan Commercial database from 2006 to 2020. We identified patients with IESS diagnosed between birth and 18 months of age who received at least one of the first-line treatments within 60 days of diagnosis. Costs were adjusted for inflation using the Gross Domestic Product Implicit Price Deflator.

RESULTS

A total of 1131 patients received at least one first-line treatment (median [p₂₅ -p₇₅ ] age: 6.3 [4.5-8.3] months, 55% male), of whom 592 patients received ACTH, 363 patients received oral prednisolone, and 355 patients received vigabatrin. After adjusting for inflation, the median average wholesale price of a 14-day course of treatment increased for ACTH from $3718 in 2006 to $100 457 in 2020, ~2700% (by a factor of 27), whereas it decreased for oral prednisolone from $169 in 2006 to $89 in 2020, ~50% (by a factor of 0.5), and increased for vigabatrin from $1206 in 2009 (first year with data on vigabatrin used for IESS) to $4102 in 2020, ~340% (by a factor of 3.4). During the first 60 days after diagnosis, inpatient admission days and costs where higher for ACTH than for oral prednisolone and vigabatrin-5.0 (3.0-8.3) days vs 2.0 (0.0-5.0) days vs 2.0 (0.0-6.0) days, p < .0001; and $32 828 ($14 711-$67 216) vs $16 227 ($0-$35 829) vs $17 844 ($0-$47 642), p < .0001. ACTH use decreased from representing 78% of first-line treatments in 2006 to 18% in 2020 (p < .0001). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.

SIGNIFICANCE

The gap between the cost of ACTH and the cost of oral prednisolone or vigabatrin has widened markedly from 2006 to 2020, whereas the relative proportion of ACTH use has decreased.

The Epilepsy Surgery Experience in Children With Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome at a Tertiary Care Center in Canada

BACKGROUND

Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome is an epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by spasms, hypsarrhythmia, and developmental regression. Appropriately selected patients with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome may be candidates for epilepsy surgery.

METHODS

This is a single-center retrospective case series of children 0-18 years with a current or previous diagnosis of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome with a lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or positron emission tomography scan who underwent epilepsy surgery at The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) in Toronto, Canada. The records of 223 patients seen in the infantile epileptic spasms syndrome clinic were reviewed.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients met inclusion criteria. The etiology of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome was encephalomalacia in 6 patients (32%), malformations of cortical development in 12 patients (63%), and atypical hypoglycemic injury in 1 patient (5%). Nine patients (47%) underwent hemispherectomy, and 10 patients (53%) underwent lobectomy/lesionectomy. Three patients (16%) underwent a second epilepsy surgery. Fifteen patients (79%) were considered ILAE seizure outcome class 1 (completely seizure free; no auras) at their most recent follow-up visit. The percentage of patients who were ILAE class 1 at most recent follow-up decreased with increasing duration of epilepsy prior to surgery. Developmental outcome after surgery was improved in 14 of 19 (74%) and stable in 5 of 19 (26%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found excellent seizure freedom rates and improved developmental outcomes following epilepsy surgery in patients with a history of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome with a structural lesion detected on MRI brain. Patients who undergo surgery earlier have improved seizure freedom rates and improved developmental outcomes.

Brain Complexity Predicts Response to Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome: A Retrospective Study

INTRODUCTION

Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is an age-specific and severe epileptic encephalopathy. Although adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is currently considered the preferred first-line treatment, it is not always effective and may cause side effects. Therefore, seeking a reliable biomarker to predict the treatment response could benefit clinicians in modifying treatment options.

METHODS

In this study, the complexities of electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings from 15 control subjects and 40 patients with IESS before and after ACTH therapy were retrospectively reviewed using multiscale entropy (MSE). These 40 patients were divided into responders and nonresponders according to their responses to ACTH.

RESULTS

The EEG complexities of the patients with IESS were significantly lower than those of the healthy controls. A favorable response to treatment showed increasing complexity in the γ band but exhibited a reduction in the β/α-frequency band, and again significantly elevated in the δ band, wherein the latter was prominent in the parieto-occipital regions in particular. Greater reduction in complexity was significantly linked with poorer prognosis in general. Occipital EEG complexities in the γ band revealed optimized performance in recognizing response to the treatment, corresponding to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves as 0.8621, while complexities of the δ band served as a fair predictor of unfavorable outcomes globally.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that optimizing frequency-specific complexities over critical brain regions may be a promising strategy to facilitate predicting treatment response in IESS.

Genotype and phenotype characteristics of West syndrome in 20 Vietnamese children: Two novel variants detected by next-generation sequencing

BACKGROUND

In children with West syndrome (WS), whose treatment is challenging due to drug resistance and poor prognosis, investigation of genetic etiology and genotype-phenotype characteristics might assist in treatment optimization and genetic counseling.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to present the results of genetic analysis and the corresponding phenotypes in a cohort of twenty children with WS in Vietnam.

METHODS

Our study was designed as a single-institution retrospective case series, in which consecutive sampling was used to select WS children having undergone genetic testing. Identified variants were investigated individually or as a variant combination by bioinformatics platforms. Clinical data were used to establish the genotype-phenotype correlation and compare clinical characteristics between groups of genetic causes and unknown causes.

RESULTS

Genetic testing identified at least one variant in 17/20 children. According to ACMG 2015, of all variants, one variant (3.9%) was classified as a benign variant, 16 variants (61.5%) were variants of uncertain significance, 4 (15.4%) were likely pathogenic variants, and 5 (19.2%) were pathogenic variants. These 26 variants belonged to 21 genes, of which eight candidate genes were CREBBP, MED25, HDAC8, SCN3A, ABCD1, TSC2, COL4A1, and NDUFA10. Two novel variants of SCN3A and TSC2 were found. Predicted pathogenic variant combinations were identified in two cases. Compared to three children of unknown etiology, five children with genetic causes had a higher rate of abnormal brain structures, developmental delay, and treatment resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

WS has a genetically heterogeneous etiology, and some cases might be polygenically susceptible. Our findings expand the disease's genotype-phenotype spectrum and support previous literature results that genetic etiology poses an unfavorable outcome in WS.

Functional hemispherotomy for epilepsy in the very young

OBJECTIVE

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in children. Among very young children, one-third are resistant to medical treatment, and lack of effective treatment may result in adverse outcomes. Although functional hemispherotomy is an established treatment for epilepsy, its outcome in the very young child has not been widely reported. In this study the authors investigated seizure and developmental results after hemispherotomy in children younger than 3 years.

METHODS

The authors reviewed a prospective database of all children younger than 3 years with medically intractable epilepsy who underwent functional hemispherotomy at the authors' institution during the period between 2012 and 2020. Demographic data, epilepsy history, underlying etiology, operative and transfusion details, and seizure and developmental outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Twelve patients were included in this study. The mean age (± SD) at seizure onset was 3 ± 2.6 months and at surgery was 1.3 ± 0.77 years, with a mean follow-up of 4 years. Diagnoses included hemimegalencephaly (n = 5), hemidysplasia (n = 2), hypoxic/hemorrhagic (n = 2), traumatic (n = 1), Sturge-Weber syndrome (n = 1), and mild hemispheric structural abnormality with EEG/PET correlates (n = 1). Eleven patients achieved an Engel class I outcome, and 1 patient achieved Engel class IV at last follow-up. No deaths, infections, cerebrovascular events, or unexpected long-term neurological deficits were recorded. All children progressed neurodevelopmentally following surgery, but their developmental levels remained behind their chronological age, with an overall mean composite Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale score of 58 (normal: 86-114, low: < 70). One patient required insertion of a subdural peritoneal shunt, 1 patient required dural repair for a CSF fluid leak, and 1 patient required aspiration of a pseudomeningocele. In 2 patients, both of whom weighed less than 5.7 kg, the first operation was incomplete due to blood loss.

CONCLUSIONS

Hemispherotomy in children younger than 3 years offers excellent seizure control and an acceptable risk-to-benefit ratio in well-selected patients. Families of children weighing less than 6 kg should be counseled regarding the possibility of staged surgery. Postoperatively, children continue to make appropriate, despite delayed, developmental progress.

Resective epilepsy surgery for West syndrome: The Hypsarrhythmic Asymmetric Scoring Scheme is a determining predictor of seizure outcome

OBJECTIVE

It has been suggested that asymmetric hypsarrhythmia is associated with structural etiology. We devised the Hypsarrhythmic Asymmetric Scoring Scheme (HASS) to quantify the degree of hypsarrhythmic asymmetry in a retrospective series of patients who underwent surgical treatment at our center. The present study aimed to investigate the role of HASS in predicting the postsurgical seizure outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the records of 46 children with hypsarrhythmia who underwent resective epilepsy surgery between 2018 and 2020 and were followed up for at least 1 year after surgery. Hypsarrhythmia severity in each hemisphere was quantified and scored. The HASS score was calculated as the difference between the two hemispheres. Univariate results were submitted to logistic regression models to identify independent predictors for favorable surgical outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 46 patients who underwent resective surgery, Engel's class I-Ⅱ outcomes were achieved in 34 (73.9%). The Engel I-Ⅱ group had a significantly higher HASS score than the Engel Ⅲ-Ⅳ group (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the HASS score was the only significant predictor of good outcomes (p = 0.011). Further receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that a threshold of 7 yielded a better seizure outcome with a sensitivity of 97.06% and specificity of 83.33%.

SIGNIFICANCE

As the first hypsarrhythmia scoring system specially designed for presurgical evaluation, the HASS score may contribute to predicting the postsurgical seizure outcome from the electroencephalography perspective.

Lesional Intractable Epileptic Spasms in Children: Electroclinical Localization and Postoperative Outcomes

To analyze the influence of seizure semiology, electroencephalography (EEG) features and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) change on epileptogenic zone localization and surgical prognosis in children with epileptic spasm (ES) were assessed. Data from 127 patients with medically intractable epilepsy with ES who underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed. ES semiology was classified as non-lateralized, bilateral asymmetric, and focal. Interictal epileptiform discharges were divided into diffusive or multifocal, unilateral, and focal. MRI results showed visible local lesions for all patients, while the anatomo-electrical-clinical value of localization of the epileptogenic zone was dependent on the surgical outcome. During preoperative video EEG monitoring, among all 127 cases, 53 cases (41.7%) had ES only, 46 (36.2%) had ES and focal seizures, 17 (13.4%) had ES and generalized seizures, and 11 (8.7%) had ES with focal and generalized seizures. Notably, 35 (27.6%) and 92 cases (72.4%) showed simple and complex ES, respectively. Interictal EEG showed that 22 cases (17.3%) had bilateral multifocal discharges or hypsarrhythmia, 25 (19.7%) had unilateral dominant discharges, and 80 (63.0%) had definite focal or regional discharges. Ictal discharges were generalized/bilateral in 71 cases (55.9%) and definite/lateralized in 56 cases (44.1%). Surgically resected lesions were in the hemisphere (28.3%), frontal lobe (24.4%), temporal lobe (16.5%), temporo-parieto-occipital region (14.2%), and posterior cortex region (8.7%). Seizure-free rates at 1 and 4 years postoperatively were 81.8 and 72.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference between electroclinical characteristics of ES and seizure-free rate. Surgical treatment showed good outcomes in most patients in this cohort. Semiology and ictal EEG change of ES had no effect on localization, while focal or lateralized epileptiform discharges of interictal EEG may affect lateralization and localization. Complete resection of epileptogenic lesions identified via MRI was the only factor associated with a positive surgical outcome.