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Lindsay N, Martin J, Adegboye D, Absoud M, Charman T, Tye C. Impact of and research priorities in early onset epilepsy: An investigation of parental concerns. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 156:109794. [PMID: 38733908 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
[Background and aim] Early onset epilepsy is a neurological condition with significant developmental consequences, and presents affected children and families with challenges which pervade many aspects of family life. Whilst the concerns of parents and the impact on quality of life is well documented in qualitative research, little emphasis has been placed on the context of 'early onset', and the implications of these concerns for research priority setting. We aimed to explore parental perspectives regarding concerns and the impact of early onset epilepsy on the child and family, and to identify priorities for future paediatric epilepsy research. [Methods] The Brain development in Early Epilepsy: Parent Priorities (BEE-PP) project employed a mixed methods approach to collect information on parents' experience of having a child diagnosed with early onset epilepsy before 36 months old and aged up to 16 years old. Parents completed an online survey (n = 15) followed by a focus group (n = 5) to explore their main concerns regarding early onset epilepsy, the impact on family life and research priorities. [Results] A thematic analysis of the focus group data generated eight themes related to concerns of parents, the impact on the family and research priorities. The three main concerns identified were the expected trajectory of their child's development, a lack of seizure control following diagnosis and adverse behavioural side effects of medication. Within family life, early onset epilepsy had an impact on sibling autonomy and psychosocial adaptation, poorer parental wellbeing and restricted social and personal activities. The need for clearer information regarding their child's developmental trajectory, and managing the side effects of medication and their interactions with behaviour over time were topics of priority for future epilepsy research. [Interpretation] The impact of early onset epilepsy on the family is pervasive and requires the provision of appropriate healthcare service-led support for families to improve quality of life and children's adjustment to epilepsy. Regular monitoring of the concerns of parents and the impact of the diagnosis would be beneficial for addressing epilepsy-related and psychosocial needs of the wider family throughout their child's development. Implications for future research priority setting with regards to improved clinician-to-parent information sharing and managing the behavioural side effects of medication are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Lindsay
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Jessica Martin
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dolapo Adegboye
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Absoud
- Department of Children's Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Healthcare, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK; Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Tye
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Pellinen J, Foster EC, Wilmshurst JM, Zuberi SM, French J. Improving epilepsy diagnosis across the lifespan: approaches and innovations. Lancet Neurol 2024; 23:511-521. [PMID: 38631767 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(24)00079-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy diagnosis is often delayed or inaccurate, exposing people to ongoing seizures and their substantial consequences until effective treatment is initiated. Important factors contributing to this problem include delayed recognition of seizure symptoms by patients and eyewitnesses; cultural, geographical, and financial barriers to seeking health care; and missed or delayed diagnosis by health-care providers. Epilepsy diagnosis involves several steps. The first step is recognition of epileptic seizures; next is classification of epilepsy type and whether an epilepsy syndrome is present; finally, the underlying epilepsy-associated comorbidities and potential causes must be identified, which differ across the lifespan. Clinical history, elicited from patients and eyewitnesses, is a fundamental component of the diagnostic pathway. Recent technological advances, including smartphone videography and genetic testing, are increasingly used in routine practice. Innovations in technology, such as artificial intelligence, could provide new possibilities for directly and indirectly detecting epilepsy and might make valuable contributions to diagnostic algorithms in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Pellinen
- Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Emma C Foster
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and University of Cape Town Neuroscience Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sameer M Zuberi
- Royal Hospital for Children and University of Glasgow School of Health & Wellbeing, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jacqueline French
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Sullivan J, Benítez A, Roth J, Andrews JS, Shah D, Butcher E, Jones A, Cross JH. A systematic literature review on the global epidemiology of Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: Prevalence, incidence, diagnosis, and mortality. Epilepsia 2024; 65:1240-1263. [PMID: 38252068 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) are rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathies associated with seizure and nonseizure symptoms. A comprehensive understanding of how many individuals are affected globally, the diagnostic journey they face, and the extent of mortality associated with these conditions is lacking. Here, we summarize and evaluate published data on the epidemiology of DS and LGS in terms of prevalence, incidence, diagnosis, genetic mutations, and mortality and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) rates. The full study protocol is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022316930). After screening 2172 deduplicated records, 91 unique records were included; 67 provided data on DS only, 17 provided data on LGS only, and seven provided data on both. Case definitions varied considerably across studies, particularly for LGS. Incidence and prevalence estimates per 100 000 individuals were generally higher for LGS than for DS (LGS: incidence proportion = 14.5-28, prevalence = 5.8-60.8; DS: incidence proportion = 2.2-6.5, prevalence = 1.2-6.5). Diagnostic delay was frequently reported for LGS, with a wider age range at diagnosis reported than for DS (DS, 1.6-9.2 years; LGS, 2-15 years). Genetic screening data were reported by 63 studies; all screened for SCN1A variants, and only one study specifically focused on individuals with LGS. Individuals with DS had a higher mortality estimate per 1000 person-years than individuals with LGS (DS, 15.84; LGS, 6.12) and a lower median age at death. SUDEP was the most frequently reported cause of death for individuals with DS. Only four studies reported mortality information for LGS, none of which included SUDEP. This systematic review highlights the paucity of epidemiological data available for DS and especially LGS, demonstrating the need for further research and adoption of standardized diagnostic criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Sullivan
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Arturo Benítez
- Takeda Development Center Americas, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeannine Roth
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - J Scott Andrews
- Takeda Development Center Americas, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Drishti Shah
- Takeda Development Center Americas, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - J Helen Cross
- University College London, National Institute for Health and Care Research Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
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Soto Jansson J, Bjurulf B, Dellenmark Blom M, Hallböök T, Reilly C. Caregiver perceptions of the impact of Dravet syndrome on the family, current supports and hopes and fears for the future: A qualitative study. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 156:109790. [PMID: 38692022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dravet syndrome (DS) is a Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy (DEE) with onset typically in infancy. Seizures are pharmaco-resistant, and neurodevelopment is compromised in almost all children. There is limited data on the impact of the condition on the family, support needs and hopes and fears in Sweden. METHODS Interviews were undertaken with the caregivers of 36 of 48 (75%) living children with DS in Sweden focusing on the perceived impact on the family, current supports and hopes and fears for the future. Data from the interviews were analyzed by two raters using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS The analysis revealed seven main themes focusing on the perceived negative impact the disease has on caregivers and family functioning. These negative impacts concerned: caregiver sleep (e.g., frequent night waking), siblings (e.g., gets less attention/time), social life (e.g., limited vacations), family finances (e.g., limited career progression), parental health (both mental and physical) and need for constant supervision (e.g., child's need for constant supervision for fear of seizures). Another theme concerned the impact on family relationships. Whilst some caregivers perceived the impact to be negative (e.g., limited time for each other) others felt that having a child with DS lead to stronger relationships and more 'teamwork'. With respect to supports, the caregivers identified a number of areas where they felt the family could access appropriate supports. Themes regarding supports included: support from the wider family and friends, support from DS support groups (online or in-person), support from the child's hospital or disability service and respite care (e.g., child was looked after on weekends or had paid carers in the home). Regarding hopes and fears for the future, responses focused mainly on fears, including concerns about premature death of the child, transition to adult healthcare services and care arrangements for child when parents are dead. Hopes for the future included better treatment for epilepsy and associated neurodevelopmental problems and finding a cure for DS. CONCLUSIONS Caregivers of children with DS report that the disease can have a very comprehensive negative impact on caregiver and family functioning. Identifying and providing the supports to ameliorate these negative impacts is vital to optimize caregiver and family wellbeing and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Soto Jansson
- Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Member of the ERN EpiCARE, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Björn Bjurulf
- Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Member of the ERN EpiCARE, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden; Dept. of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Dellenmark Blom
- Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Member of the ERN EpiCARE, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden; Dept. of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tove Hallböök
- Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Member of the ERN EpiCARE, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden; Dept. of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Colin Reilly
- Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Member of the ERN EpiCARE, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden; Dept. of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Yıldırım M, Altıntaş M, Uysal E, Bektaş Ö, Teber S. Predictors of medical intractability in children with epilepsy onset during the first two years of life, excluding infantile epileptic spasm syndrome. Seizure 2024; 117:206-212. [PMID: 38479206 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Early childhood epilepsy presents a significant challenge, with approximately 30 % of individuals experiencing treatment failure. This study aimed to identify predictors of medical intractability in children with epilepsy onset during the first two years of life, excluding infantile epileptic spasm syndrome. METHODS A total of 323 children were retrospectively evaluated. The analyses included a review of medical records for demographic, laboratory, radiological, and electroencephalographic (EEG) findings. Children were diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) according to the ILAE diagnostic criteria. Twenty-one potential prognostic predictors were examined in relation to medical intractability. RESULTS Among the 323 children (56.7 % male), 119 (36.8 %) had unknown epilepsy, 131 (40.6 %) had structural epilepsy, 53 (16.4 %) had genetic epilepsy, and 20 (6.2 %) had metabolic epilepsy. Over a median follow-up of 68 months, 55.4 % of the children achieved ≥6 months of seizure freedom, 33.1 % developed DRE, and the remaining 11.5 % had rare ongoing seizures but did not meet the criteria for DRE because they were only treated with one antiseizure medication at the last follow-up. Univariate logistic regression analyses identified ten risk factors significantly associated with DRE. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the presence of developmental delay at epilepsy onset (p = 0.000; OR 7.890; 95 %CI 2.713 to 22.945), history of status epilepticus (p = 0.000; OR 8.247; 95 %CI 3.619 to 18.793), number of antiseizure medications (ASMs) at the sixth month of diagnosis (p = 0.000; OR 20.585; 95 %CI 8.993 to 47.117), and initial EEG findings (p = 0.046; OR 2.366; 95 %CI 1.015 to 5.518) were predictors of medical intractability. Nineteen (5.9 %) children died during follow-up for various reasons, including progressive neurogenetic or neurodegenerative disorders. CONCLUSION Developmental delay at epilepsy onset, a history of status epilepticus, the use of two or more ASMs in the sixth month of diagnosis, and abnormal initial EEG findings were associated with medical intractability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miraç Yıldırım
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Mert Altıntaş
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ece Uysal
- Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ömer Bektaş
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Serap Teber
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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Auvin S, Guillo S, de Rycke Y, Tran D, Tubach F. Benzodiazepines for pediatric epilepsies and their risks in a cohort within the French health care data. Epilepsia 2024; 65:900-908. [PMID: 38353414 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The management of antiseizure treatment in patients with epilepsy relies on the benefit-risk ratio. Data on antiseizure medication (ASM) use in children are limited. We described antiseizure medication use in children with epilepsy (CwE) in France, with a focus on the chronic use of benzodiazepines and related implications. METHODS We conducted a 5-year cohort study from January 2012, using data from the French national health care data system (Système National des Données de Santé). We included CwE identified through International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes and medications from January 2012 to December 2015 and followed them until December 2016. We described ASMs and assessed whether the risk of initiating a polytherapy after a bitherapy depends on whether benzodiazepine was included in the bitherapy. RESULTS We identified 62 885 CwE. Valproate was the most reimbursed ASM (40%), followed by lamotrigine (17.6%), levetiracetam (9.3%), clobazam (6.1%), and carbamazepine (5.8%). Prescriptions were initiated at the hospital in 74.5% of CwE. We observed a decrease in the number of CwE with at least one benzodiazepine reimbursement from 15.3% in 2013 to 10.1% in 2016 (p < .0001). The prevalence of CwE with levetiracetam reimbursements increased, whereas that of CwE with valproate decreased. A switch from a bitherapy to a polytherapy was more likely when the bitherapy included a benzodiazepine (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] = 1.20 [1.03-1.39]). SIGNIFICANCE The prevalence of CwE with at least one benzodiazepine reimbursement decreased during the study period. Benzodiazepines were associated with an increased use of subsequent ASM polytherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Auvin
- INSERM NeuroDiderot, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Pediatric Neurology Department, CRMR Epilepsies Rares, EpiCARE member, AP-HP, Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Guillo
- INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Centre de Pharmacoépidémiologie (Cephepi), CIC-1901, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Yann de Rycke
- INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Centre de Pharmacoépidémiologie (Cephepi), CIC-1901, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- Département de Santé Publique, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Diep Tran
- Centre de Pharmacoépidémiologie (Cephepi), CIC-1901, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Florence Tubach
- INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Centre de Pharmacoépidémiologie (Cephepi), CIC-1901, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- Département de Santé Publique, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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Hadjinicolaou A, Briscoe Abath C, Singh A, Donatelli S, Salussolia CL, Cohen AL, He J, Gupta N, Merchant S, Zhang B, Olson H, Yuskaitis CJ, Libenson MH, Harini C. Timing the clinical onset of epileptic spasms in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: A tertiary health center's experience. Epilepsia 2024; 65:984-994. [PMID: 38317356 PMCID: PMC11018499 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lead time to treatment (clinical onset of epileptic spasms [ES] to initiation of appropriate treatment) is known to predict outcomes in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS). Timing the clinical onset of ES is crucial to establish lead time. We investigated how often ES onset could be established to the nearest week. We aimed to (1) ascertain the exact date or estimate the nearest week of ES onset and (2) compare clinical/demographic factors between patients where date of ES onset was determined or estimated to the nearest week and patients whose date of ES onset could not be estimated to the nearest week. Reasons for difficulties in estimating date of ES onset were explored. METHODS Retrospective chart review of new onset IESS patients (January 2019-May 2022) extracted the date or week of the clinical onset of ES. Predictors of difficulty in date of ES onset estimation to the nearest week were examined by regression analysis. Sources contributing to difficulties determining date of ES onset were assessed after grouping into categories (provider-, caregiver-, disease-related). RESULTS Among 100 patients, date of ES onset was estimated to the nearest week in 47%. On univariable analysis, age at diagnosis (p = .021), development delay (p = .007), developmental regression/stagnation (p = .021), ES intermixed with other seizures (p = .011), and nonclustered ES at onset (p = .005) were associated with difficulties estimating date of ES onset. On multivariable analysis, failure to establish date of ES onset was related to ES intermixed with other seizures (p = .004) and nonclustered ES at onset (p = .003). Sources contributing to difficulties determining date of ES onset included disease-related factors (ES characteristics, challenges interpreting electroencephalograms) and provider/caregiver-related factors (delayed diagnosis). SIGNIFICANCE Difficulties with estimation of lead time (due to difficulties timing ES onset) can impact clinical care (prognostication), as even small increments in lead time duration can have adverse developmental consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aristides Hadjinicolaou
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christina Briscoe Abath
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Avantika Singh
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie Donatelli
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Catherine L Salussolia
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexander Li Cohen
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jie He
- Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nishtha Gupta
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sabrina Merchant
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Heather Olson
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher J Yuskaitis
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark H Libenson
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chellamani Harini
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Wang X, Huang Y, Chen L, Mai J, Fang D, Mo T, Qi X, Zeng H. A Potential Mechanism of Neurological Impairment in Children With Infantile Spasm: Based on Microanatomic Structure Analysis Employing Voxel-Based Morphometry and Surface-Based Morphometry. Pediatr Neurol 2024; 153:116-124. [PMID: 38367486 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) would accompany with severe neurological impairment. Our study aimed to explore the potential mechanism by employing voxel-based and surface-based morphometry to detect brain microwould accompany with severe neurological impairment. Our study aimed to explore the potential mechanism by employing voxel-based and surface-based morphometry to detect brain microanatomic structure alteration. METHODS The IESS group had 21 males and 13 females (mean age: 17.7 ± 15.6 months), whereas the healthy controls group had 22 males and 10 females (mean age: 29.4 ± 18.7 months). High-resolution 3D T1WI was performed. Computational Anatomy Toolbox implemented in Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 was used to measure the gray matter and white matter volume, and the cortical thickness separately. Independent sample t test was used to assess between-group differences. IESS group was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. RESULTS The IESS group showed a significantly decreased volume of gray matter in right middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, right fusiform, and bilateral precuneus (P < 0.001). There were no significant between-group differences with respect to white matter volume or cortical thickness (P > 0.001). The results of Bayley Scales of Infant Development showed that the Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index scores of children with IESS were almost concentrated in the range of <70. MDI score showed a positive correlation with gray matter reduction area in IESS group. CONCLUSION Children with IESS had impaired cognitive and delayed motor development. And the decreased gray matter in the right temporal lobe, fusiform, and bilateral precuneus could be the potential anatomic basis for impaired function, such as hearing, visual, and language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuchun Huang
- Department of Radiology, Longhua District Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiahui Mai
- Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Diangang Fang
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Mo
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinxin Qi
- China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hongwu Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
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Mercier A, Dorris L. A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for children and young people with epilepsy. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2024; 49:35-44. [PMID: 38364750 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a lifelong neurological disorder that has a profound impact on the lives of millions of children and young people throughout the world, and is linked with mental ill-health and a poorer quality of life. Psychosocial interventions have showed promise for children and young people with epilepsy (CYPE), however there is an absence of large-scale RCT's that would add robustness to the evidence base. The present systematic review provides an update and extension of findings from an earlier review by Corrigan et al. to assess the state of the literature in 2023. METHODS The present systematic review carried out a search of six electronic databases. Forward and backward chaining was carried out on review articles as well as the studies returned through the search to source additional studies. In total, ten articles were included in this review and appraised for quality using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT). RESULTS Forty percent (4/10) of the included studies were rated as high quality according to the CCAT, which represents a significant proportional increase since Corrigan et al.'s review. A meta-analysis of results was not possible due to significant methodological heterogeneity, and the variability of outcome measures, however effect sizes were reported or calculated for the majority of studies (7/10), which facilitated comparison. Despite the issues of relatively small samples, there are promising findings with regard to psychosocial interventions increasing epilepsy knowledge, coping strategies, self-efficacy, and quality of life markers. CONCLUSIONS There is a growing evidence base supporting the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for children and young people with epilepsy. This evidence base is also increasing in quality. Particular components of treatment that prove to be effective include psychoeducation, components based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles, as well as mindfulness techniques. This aligns with the evidence-based recommendations for adult populations. Intervention goals centre around improving quality of life, reducing symptom distress, and increasing knowledge and skills. The instruments used to measure these outcomes are predominantly standardised, however remain heterogeneous between studies which impacts the overall robustness of the evidence base.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liam Dorris
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK; Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK.
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Kim SH, Seo J, Kwon SS, Teng LY, Won D, Shin S, Lee JS, Lee ST, Choi JR, Kang HC. Common genes and recurrent causative variants in 957 Asian patients with pediatric epilepsy. Epilepsia 2024; 65:766-778. [PMID: 38073125 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify common genes and recurrent causative variants in a large group of Asian patients with different epilepsy syndromes and subgroups. METHODS Patients with unexplained pediatric-onset epilepsy were identified from the in-house Severance Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Epilepsy Database. All patients underwent either exome sequencing or multigene panels from January 2017 to December 2019, at Severance Children's Hospital in Korea. Clinical data were extracted from the medical records. RESULTS Of the 957 patients studied, 947 (99.0%) were Korean and 570 were male (59.6%). The median age at testing was 4.91 years (interquartile range, 1.53-9.39). The overall diagnostic yield was 32.4% (310/957). Clinical exome sequencing yielded a diagnostic rate of 36.9% (134/363), whereas the epilepsy panel yielded a diagnostic rate of 29.9% (170/569). Diagnostic yield differed across epilepsy syndromes. It was high in Dravet syndrome (87.2%, 41/47) and early infantile developmental epileptic encephalopathy (60.7%, 17/28), but low in West syndrome (21.8%, 34/156) and myoclonic-atonic epilepsy (4.8%, 1/21). The most frequently implicated genes were SCN1A (n = 49), STXBP1 (n = 15), SCN2A (n = 14), KCNQ2 (n = 13), CDKL5 (n = 11), CHD2 (n = 9), SLC2A1 (n = 9), PCDH19 (n = 8), MECP2 (n = 6), SCN8A (n = 6), and PRRT2 (n = 5). The recurrent genetic abnormalities included 15q11.2 deletion/duplication (n = 9), Xq28 duplication (n = 5), PRRT2 deletion (n = 4), MECP2 duplication (n = 3), SCN1A, c.2556+3A>T (n = 3), and 2q24.3 deletion (n = 3). SIGNIFICANCE Here we present the results of a large-scale study conducted in East Asia, where we identified several common genes and recurrent variants that varied depending on specific epilepsy syndromes. The overall genetic landscape of the Asian population aligns with findings from other populations of varying ethnicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Hee Kim
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Epilepsy Research Institute, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Children's Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jieun Seo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soon Sung Kwon
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Lip-Yuen Teng
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Tunku Azizah, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - DongJu Won
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Saeam Shin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joon Soo Lee
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Epilepsy Research Institute, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Children's Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Tae Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jong Rak Choi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hoon-Chul Kang
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Epilepsy Research Institute, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Children's Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
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11
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Ng ACH, Choudhary A, Barrett KT, Gavrilovici C, Scantlebury MH. Mechanisms of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: What have we learned from animal models? Epilepsia 2024; 65:266-280. [PMID: 38036453 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The devastating developmental and epileptic encephalopathy of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) has numerous causes, including, but not limited to, brain injury, metabolic, and genetic conditions. Given the stereotyped electrophysiologic, age-dependent, and clinical findings, there likely exists one or more final common pathways in the development of IESS. The identity of this final common pathway is unknown, but it may represent a novel therapeutic target for infantile spasms. Previous research on IESS has focused largely on identifying the neuroanatomic substrate using specialized neuroimaging techniques and cerebrospinal fluid analysis in human patients. Over the past three decades, several animal models of IESS were created with an aim to interrogate the underlying pathogenesis of IESS, to identify novel therapeutic targets, and to test various treatments. Each of these models have been successful at recapitulating multiple aspects of the human IESS condition. These animal models have implicated several different molecular pathways in the development of infantile spasms. In this review we outline the progress that has been made thus far using these animal models and discuss future directions to help researchers identify novel treatments for drug-resistant IESS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Cheuk-Him Ng
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anamika Choudhary
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Karlene T Barrett
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Cezar Gavrilovici
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Morris H Scantlebury
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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12
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Hollenshead PP, Jackson CN, Cross JV, Witten TE, Anwar AI, Ahmadzadeh S, Shekoohi S, Kaye AD. Treatment modalities for infantile spasms: current considerations and evolving strategies in clinical practice. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:507-514. [PMID: 37736852 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07078-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payton P Hollenshead
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Corrie N Jackson
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Jordan V Cross
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Taylor E Witten
- School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Ahmed I Anwar
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Quinnipiac University, 275 Mount Carmel Ave, Hamden, CT, 06518, USA
| | - Shahab Ahmadzadeh
- Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
| | - Sahar Shekoohi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
| | - Alan D Kaye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neurosciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA
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Innes EA, Marne FAL, Macintosh R, Nevin SM, Briggs NE, Vivekanandarajah S, Webster RI, Sachdev RK, Bye AME. Neurodevelopmental outcomes in a cohort of Australian families with self-limited familial epilepsy of neonatal/infantile onset. Seizure 2024; 115:1-13. [PMID: 38160512 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine: i) seizure recurrence; ii) developmental disability; iii) co-morbidities and risk factors in self-limited familial neonatal and/or infantile epilepsy (SeLFE) in a multigenerational study. METHODS Families were retrospectively recruited from epilepsy databases (2021-2022) in 2 paediatric hospitals, Sydney, Australia. Eligible families had 2 first degree relatives with seizures and underwent genetic testing. Demographics/clinical data were collected from interviews and medical records. Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales-Third Edition measured adaptive function. RESULTS Fifteen families participated. Fourteen had a genetic diagnosis (93%): 11 pathogenic; PRRT2 (n=4), KCNQ2 (n=3), SCN2A (n=4), 3 likely pathogenic; KCNQ2 (n=1), SCN8A (n=2). Seizures affected 73 individuals (ages 1-76 years); 30 children and 20 adults had in-depth phenotyping. Ten of 50 individuals (20%) had seizure recurrence, aged 8-65 years. Median time from last neonatal/infantile seizure was 11.8/12.8 years. Predictors of recurrence were high seizure number (p=0.05) and longer treatment duration (p=0.03). Seven children had global developmental delay (GDD): mild (n=4), moderate (n=1) and severe (n=2). Vineland-3 identified 3 had low-average and 3 had mild-moderately impaired functioning. The majority (82%) were average. GDD was associated with older age at last seizure (p=0.03), longer epilepsy duration (p=0.02), and higher number of anti-seizure medications (p=0.05). Four children had speech delay, 5 (10%) had Autism Spectrum Disorder. Paroxysmal kinesiogenic dyskinesia (n=5) occurred in 4 families and hemiplegic migraine (n=8) in 3 families. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with SeLFE have a small risk of recurrent seizures (20%) and neurodevelopmental disability. Significant predictors are higher seizure number and longer epilepsy duration. Developmental surveillance is imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Innes
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia; TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, Australia; School of Medicine Sydney, The University of Notre Dame, Australia; Kids Research Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Australia.
| | - Fleur Annette Le Marne
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia; School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebecca Macintosh
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Australia; Centre for Clinical Genetics, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia
| | - Suzanne M Nevin
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia; School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Australia; Centre for Clinical Genetics, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia
| | - Nancy E Briggs
- Stats Central, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW Sydney, Australia
| | - Sinthu Vivekanandarajah
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Australia; Liverpool Community Paediatrics, Liverpool Community Health Centre, Liverpool, Australia
| | - Richard I Webster
- TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, Australia; Kids Research Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Australia; Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Rani K Sachdev
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Australia; Centre for Clinical Genetics, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia
| | - Ann M E Bye
- Department of Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, Australia; School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Australia
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14
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Alamad B, Elliott K, Knight JC. Cross-population applications of genomics to understand the risk of multifactorial traits involving inflammation and immunity. Camb Prism Precis Med 2024; 2:e3. [PMID: 38549844 PMCID: PMC10953767 DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2023.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The interplay between genetic and environmental factors plays a significant role in interindividual variation in immune and inflammatory responses. The availability of high-throughput low-cost genotyping and next-generation sequencing has revolutionized our ability to identify human genetic variation and understand how this varies within and between populations, and the relationship with disease. In this review, we explore the potential of genomics for patient benefit, specifically in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of inflammatory and immune-related diseases. We summarize the knowledge arising from genetic and functional genomic approaches, and the opportunity for personalized medicine. The review covers applications in infectious diseases, rare immunodeficiencies and autoimmune diseases, illustrating advances in diagnosis and understanding risk including use of polygenic risk scores. We further explore the application for patient stratification and drug target prioritization. The review highlights a key challenge to the field arising from the lack of sufficient representation of genetically diverse populations in genomic studies. This currently limits the clinical utility of genetic-based diagnostic and risk-based applications in non-Caucasian populations. We highlight current genome projects, initiatives and biobanks from diverse populations and how this is being used to improve healthcare globally by improving our understanding of genetic susceptibility to diseases and regional pathogens such as malaria and tuberculosis. Future directions and opportunities for personalized medicine and wider application of genomics in health care are described, for the benefit of individual patients and populations worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bana Alamad
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kate Elliott
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian C. Knight
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science Oxford Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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15
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Mohammadi M, Shervin Badv R, Rezaei Z, Ashrafi M, Naeemi F. The Value of Long-term Video EEG Monitoring to Diagnose and Track Childhood Epilepsy. Iran J Child Neurol 2024; 18:9-16. [PMID: 38375121 PMCID: PMC10874508 DOI: 10.22037/ijcn.v18i1.43012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Objectives Long-term video-EEG monitoring (LTM) is a new technique to assess and track fluctuations, classify seizures, identify epileptic syndromes, and determine the number of seizures and epilepsy-simulating disorders. The present study aims to evaluate the concordance of traditional EEG and LTM in assessing childhood epilepsy. Materials & Methods This cross-sectional before-after study was performed on 120 children with epilepsy who were referred to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) at the Children's Medical Center between September 2021 and September 2022 and were monitored for at least eight hours in this unit. The source of the study information collection was the patients' recorded files. A neurologist reviewed the primary EEGs, and two experts blindly reviewed and interpreted the patients' LTMs under a clinical neurophysiologist's supervision. Results The diagnoses changed after employing LTM in most children with epilepsy. Based on the diagnostic agreement analysis between EEG and LTM, the coefficient value for LTM was calculated at -0.37 (p= 0.229), showing that LTM has significantly expanded patients' diagnoses and care plans. Conclusion The use of LTM improves the diagnosis, classification, and monitoring of epilepsy in affected children and can be a reliable supplement to EEG in some instances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood Mohammadi
- Children Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Shervin Badv
- Children Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Rezaei
- Children Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoodreza Ashrafi
- Children Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Naeemi
- Children Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Badura-Stronka M, Wołyńska K, Winczewska-Wiktor A, Marcinkowska J, Karolewska D, Tomkowiak-Kędzia D, Piechota M, Przyborska M, Kochalska N, Steinborn B. Validation of targeted next-generation sequencing panels in a cohort of Polish patients with epilepsy: assessing variable performance across clinical endophenotypes and uncovering novel genetic variants. Front Neurol 2024; 14:1316933. [PMID: 38328757 PMCID: PMC10849089 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1316933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Panels (TNGSP) have become a standard in global clinical practice. Instead of questioning the necessity of next-generation sequencing in epilepsy patients, contemporary large-scale research focuses on factors such as the size of TNGSP, the comparative advantages of exome or genome-wide sequencing over TNGSP, and the impact of clinical, electrophysiological, and demographic variables on genetic test performance. This study aims to elucidate the demographic and clinical factors influencing the performance of TNGSP in 138 Polish patients with epilepsy, recognizing the pivotal role of genetic testing in guiding patient management and therapy. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients from a genetic clinic in Poznań, Poland, who underwent commercial gene panel studies at Invitae Corporation (USA) between 2020 and 2022. Patient groups were defined based on the age of onset of the first epileptic seizures, seizure type, gender, fever dependence of seizures, presence of intellectual disability or developmental delay, abnormalities in MRI, and the presence of dysmorphic features or congenital malformations. Seizure classification followed the 2017 ILAE criteria. Results Among the 138 patients, 30 (21.7%) exhibited a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant, with a distribution of 20.7% in males and 22.5% in females. Diagnostic performance correlated with the patient's age at the onset of the first seizure and the type of seizure. Predominant variants were identified in the SCN1A, PRRT2, CDKL5, DEPDC5, TSC2, and SLC2A1 genes. Additionally, 12 genes (CACNA1A, SCN2A, GRIN2A, KCNQ2, CHD2, DYNC1H1, NEXMIF, SCN1B, DDX3X, EEF1A2, NPRL3, UBE3A) exhibited single instances of damage. Notably, novel variants were discovered in DEPDC5, SCN1A, TSC2, CDKL5, NPRL3, DYNC1H1, CHD2, and DDX3X. Discussion Identified variants were present in genes previously recognized in both European and non-European populations. A thorough examination of Variants of Uncertain Significance (VUSs), specifically focusing on gene copy number changes, may unveil more extensive chromosomal aberrations. The relatively frequent occurrence of pathological variants in X chromosome-linked genes in girls warrants further investigation, challenging the prevailing notion of male predominance in X-linked epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Badura-Stronka
- Chair and Department of Medical Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Centers for Medical Genetics GENESIS, Poznań, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Wołyńska
- Chair and Department of Medical Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Winczewska-Wiktor
- Chair and Department of Developmental Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Justyna Marcinkowska
- Chair and Department of Informatics and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Barbara Steinborn
- Chair and Department of Developmental Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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Feng T, Makiello P, Dunwoody B, Steckler F, Symonds JD, Zuberi SM, Dorris L, Brunklaus A. Long-term predictors of developmental outcome and disease burden in SCN1A-positive Dravet syndrome. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae004. [PMID: 38229878 PMCID: PMC10789590 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is a severe infantile onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy associated with mutations in the sodium channel alpha 1 subunit gene SCN1A. Prospective data on long-term developmental and clinical outcomes are limited; this study seeks to evaluate the clinical course of Dravet syndrome over a 10-year period and identify predictors of developmental outcome. SCN1A mutation-positive Dravet syndrome patients were prospectively followed up in the UK from 2010 to 2020. Caregivers completed structured questionnaires on clinical features and disease burden; the Epilepsy & Learning Disability Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Adaptive Behavioural Assessment System-3 and the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children. Sixty-eight of 113 caregivers (60%) returned posted questionnaires. Developmental outcome worsened at follow-up (4.45 [SD 0.65], profound cognitive impairment) compared to baseline (2.9 [SD 1.1], moderate cognitive impairment, P < 0.001), whereas epilepsy severity appeared less severe at 10-year follow-up (P = 0.042). Comorbidities were more apparent at 10-year outcome including an increase in autistic features (77% [48/62] versus 30% [17/57], χ2 = 19.9, P < 0.001), behavioural problems (81% [46/57] versus 38% [23/60], χ2 = 14.1, P < 0.001) and motor/mobility problems (80% [51/64] versus 41% [24/59], χ2 = 16.9, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a more significant rise in comorbidities in younger compared to older patients. Predictors of worse long-term developmental outcome included poorer baseline language ability (P < 0.001), more severe baseline epilepsy severity (P = 0.003) and a worse SCN1A genetic score (P = 0.027). Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy had not been discussed with a medical professional in 35% (24/68) of participants. Over 90% of caregivers reported a negative impact on their own health and career opportunities. Our study identifies important predictors and potential biomarkers of developmental outcome in Dravet syndrome and emphasizes the significant caregiver burden of illness. The negative impact of epilepsy severity at baseline on long-term developmental outcomes highlights the importance of implementing early and focused therapies whilst the potential impact of newer anti-seizure medications requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Feng
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Phoebe Makiello
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Benjamin Dunwoody
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Felix Steckler
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Joseph D Symonds
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Sameer M Zuberi
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Liam Dorris
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
| | - Andreas Brunklaus
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK
- The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Office Block, Level 0, Zone 1, 1345 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
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18
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Fan HC, Yang MT, Lin LC, Chiang KL, Chen CM. Clinical and Genetic Features of Dravet Syndrome: A Prime Example of the Role of Precision Medicine in Genetic Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:31. [PMID: 38203200 PMCID: PMC10779156 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS), also known as severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy, is a rare and drug-resistant form of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, which is both debilitating and challenging to manage, typically arising during the first year of life, with seizures often triggered by fever, infections, or vaccinations. It is characterized by frequent and prolonged seizures, developmental delays, and various other neurological and behavioral impairments. Most cases result from pathogenic mutations in the sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 1 (SCN1A) gene, which encodes a critical voltage-gated sodium channel subunit involved in neuronal excitability. Precision medicine offers significant potential for improving DS diagnosis and treatment. Early genetic testing enables timely and accurate diagnosis. Advances in our understanding of DS's underlying genetic mechanisms and neurobiology have enabled the development of targeted therapies, such as gene therapy, offering more effective and less invasive treatment options for patients with DS. Targeted and gene therapies provide hope for more effective and personalized treatments. However, research into novel approaches remains in its early stages, and their clinical application remains to be seen. This review addresses the current understanding of clinical DS features, genetic involvement in DS development, and outcomes of novel DS therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hueng-Chuen Fan
- Department of Pediatrics, Tungs’ Taichung Metroharbor Hospital, Wuchi, Taichung 435, Taiwan;
- Department of Rehabilitation, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli 356, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, Agricultural Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Tao Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 220, Taiwan;
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan 320, Taiwan
| | - Lung-Chang Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Liang Chiang
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Kuang-Tien General Hospital, Taichung 433, Taiwan;
- Department of Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung 433, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Mu Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, Agricultural Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, and Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
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Pilcevic D, Djuric Jovicic M, Antonijevic M, Bacanin N, Jovanovic L, Zivkovic M, Dragovic M, Bisevac P. Performance evaluation of metaheuristics-tuned recurrent neural networks for electroencephalography anomaly detection. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1267011. [PMID: 38033337 PMCID: PMC10682794 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1267011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) serves as a diagnostic technique for measuring brain waves and brain activity. Despite its precision in capturing brain electrical activity, certain factors like environmental influences during the test can affect the objectivity and accuracy of EEG interpretations. Challenges associated with interpretation, even with advanced techniques to minimize artifact influences, can significantly impact the accurate interpretation of EEG findings. To address this issue, artificial intelligence (AI) has been utilized in this study to analyze anomalies in EEG signals for epilepsy detection. Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are AI techniques specifically designed to handle sequential data, making them well-suited for precise time-series tasks. While AI methods, including RNNs and artificial neural networks (ANNs), hold great promise, their effectiveness heavily relies on the initial values assigned to hyperparameters, which are crucial for their performance for concrete assignment. To tune RNN performance, the selection of hyperparameters is approached as a typical optimization problem, and metaheuristic algorithms are employed to further enhance the process. The modified hybrid sine cosine algorithm has been developed and used to further improve hyperparameter optimization. To facilitate testing, publicly available real-world EEG data is utilized. A dataset is constructed using captured data from healthy and archived data from patients confirmed to be affected by epilepsy, as well as data captured during an active seizure. Two experiments have been conducted using generated dataset. In the first experiment, models were tasked with the detection of anomalous EEG activity. The second experiment required models to segment normal, anomalous activity as well as detect occurrences of seizures from EEG data. Considering the modest sample size (one second of data, 158 data points) used for classification models demonstrated decent outcomes. Obtained outcomes are compared with those generated by other cutting-edge metaheuristics and rigid statistical validation, as well as results' interpretation is performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejan Pilcevic
- Clinic for Nephrology, Military Medical Academy, University of Defense, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Milos Antonijevic
- Department of Informatics and Computing, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nebojsa Bacanin
- Department of Informatics and Computing, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Luka Jovanovic
- Department of Informatics and Computing, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Miodrag Zivkovic
- Department of Informatics and Computing, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Petar Bisevac
- Department of Informatics and Computing, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
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Schubert-Bast S, Kaur M, Joeres L, Foskett N, Roebling R, Strzelczyk A. Epidemiology of focal onset seizures in children aged >1 month to 4 years in Europe, United States, and Canada: A literature review. Seizure 2023; 112:88-97. [PMID: 37778299 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aims to report the currently available epidemiology of focal onset seizures in children aged >1 month to 4 years with the help of a literature review. The terms 'seizure*' OR 'epilepsy' combined with pediatric and epidemiology terms were used to search Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science up to November 16, 2021. Due to the scarcity of epidemiology data on focal onset seizures, the incidence and prevalence were estimated using the proportion of focal onset seizures in epilepsy patients from the most recently published articles. The estimated annual incidence per 100,000 children of focal onset seizures in children of 0-4 years of age ranged from 25.1 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 18.9-32.7) in the United Kingdom to 111.8 in the United States. The estimated period prevalence of focal onset seizures in children 0-4 years of age ranged from 0.15 % (99 % CI 0.13-0.18) in Canada to 0.61 % in the United States. Neurodevelopmental outcomes and psychiatric disorders were the most commonly reported comorbidities in children with epilepsy of age 0-4 years. Presence of focal onset seizures in children with different epilepsy syndromes needs to be thoroughly considered in the treatment planning of this population of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Schubert-Bast
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Department of Neurology, Schleusenweg 2-16 (Haus 95), Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany; Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department of Neuropediatrics, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main 60590, Germany.
| | - Moninder Kaur
- UCB Pharma, 216 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 3WE, United Kingdom
| | - Lars Joeres
- UCB Biosciences GmbH, Alfred-Nobel-Str. 10, Monheim 40789, Germany
| | - Nadia Foskett
- UCB Pharma, 216 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 3WE, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Roebling
- UCB Biosciences GmbH, Alfred-Nobel-Str. 10, Monheim 40789, Germany
| | - Adam Strzelczyk
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Department of Neurology, Schleusenweg 2-16 (Haus 95), Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
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Vossler DG. Intellectual Disability and Epilepsy: The High Incidence and the Risks of Status Epilepticus and Sudden Death Require Improved Therapies. Epilepsy Curr 2023; 23:354-356. [PMID: 38269346 PMCID: PMC10805088 DOI: 10.1177/15357597231203079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiology of Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy and of Intellectual Disability and Epilepsy in Children Poke G, Stanley J, Scheffer IE, Sadleir LG. Neurology. 2023;100(13):e1363-e1375. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000206758 Background and Objectives: We aimed to determine the population-based cumulative incidence and prevalence of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) and intellectual disability and epilepsy (ID+E) in children. We analyzed the cumulative incidence of specific epilepsy syndromes. Methods: Children younger than 16 years with a DEE or ID+E were ascertained using EEG records from 2000 to 2016 in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Epilepsy syndromes were diagnosed on medical record and EEG review. Point prevalence and cumulative incidence for children with epilepsy and developmental impairment, DEE and ID+E were calculated. Cumulative incidence for each epilepsy syndrome was calculated. Results: The cohort comprised 235 children (58% male) with developmental impairment and epilepsy, including 152 (65%) with DEE and 83 (35%) with ID+E. The median age of seizure onset was 15.4 months (range day 1-15 years). The median follow-up from seizure onset was 7.9 years (range 0-18.2 years). Point prevalence for the broad group of children with epilepsy and developmental impairment was 175/100,000 children (95% CI 149-203; DEE 112 and ID+E 63/100,000 children). Cumulative incidence for DEE was 169/100,000 children (95% CI 144-199) and that for ID+E was 125/100,000 children (95% CI 95.4-165). Cumulative incidence per 100,000 children was as follows: infantile epileptic spasms syndrome 58.2 (95% CI 45.0-75.3), epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures 16.4 (95% CI 9.69-27.7), Lennox-Gastaut syndrome 13.2 (95% CI 4.1-41.9), and Dravet syndrome 5.1 (95% CI 2.1-12.2). Fifty/152 (33%) of children with DEE and 70/83 (84%) with ID+E could not be diagnosed with a known epilepsy syndrome. Discussion: Epilepsy and developmental impairment before the age of 16 years occurs in 1 in 340 children, with 1 in 590 having a DEE and 1 in 800 having ID+E. These individuals require significant health and community resources; therefore, these data will inform complex health service and education planning. Epidemiologic studies have focused on early childhood-onset DEEs. These do not fully reflect the burden of these disorders because 27% of DEEs and 70% of ID+E begin later, with seizure onset after the age of 3 years. Understanding the cumulative incidence of specific syndromes together with the broad group of DEEs is essential for the planning of therapeutic trials. Given trials focus on specific syndromes, there is a risk that effective therapies will not be developed for one-third of children with DEE. Rates of Status Epilepticus and Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy in People With Genetic Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies Donnan AM, Schneider AL, Russ-Hall S, Churilov L, Scheffer IE. Neurology. 2023;100(16): e1712-e1722. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000207080 Background and Objectives: The genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) comprise a large group of severe epilepsy syndromes, with a wide phenotypic spectrum. Currently, the rates of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE), nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in these diseases are not well understood. We aimed to describe the proportions of patients with frequently observed genetic DEEs who developed CSE, NCSE, mortality, and SUDEP. Understanding the risks of these serious presentations in each genetic DEE will enable earlier diagnosis and appropriate management. Methods: In this retrospective analysis of patients with a genetic DEE, we estimated the proportions with CSE, NCSE, and SUDEP and the overall and SUDEP-specific mortality rates for each genetic diagnosis. We included patients with a pathogenic variant in the genes SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN8A, SYNGAP1, NEXMIF, CHD2, PCDH19, STXBP1, GRIN2A, KCNT1, and KCNQ2 and with Angelman syndrome (AS). Results: The cohort comprised 510 individuals with a genetic DEE, in whom we observed CSE in 47% and NCSE in 19%. The highest proportion of CSE occurred in patients with SCN1A-associated DEEs, including 181/203 (89%; 95% CI 84-93) patients with Dravet syndrome and 8/15 (53%; 95% CI 27-79) non-Dravet SCN1A-DEEs. CSE was also notable in patients with pathogenic variants in KCNT1 (6/10; 60%; 95% CI 26-88) and SCN2A (8/15; 53%; 95% CI 27-79). NCSE was common in patients with non-Dravet SCN1A-DEEs (8/15; 53%; 95% CI 27-79) and was notable in patients with CHD2-DEEs (6/14; 43%; 95% CI 18-71) and AS (6/19; 32%; 95% CI 13-57). There were 42/510 (8%) deaths among the cohort, producing a mortality rate of 6.1 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI 4.4-8.3). Cases of SUDEP accounted for 19/42 (48%) deaths. Four genes were associated with SUDEP: SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN8A, and STXBP1. The estimated SUDEP rate was 2.8 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI 1.6-4.3). Discussion: We showed that proportions of patients with CSE, NCSE, and SUDEP differ for commonly encountered genetic DEEs. The estimates for each genetic DEE studied will inform early diagnosis and management of status epilepticus and SUDEP and inform disease-specific counseling for patients and families in this high-risk group of conditions.
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Morris G, Avoli M, Bernard C, Connor K, de Curtis M, Dulla CG, Jefferys JGR, Psarropoulou C, Staley KJ, Cunningham MO. Can in vitro studies aid in the development and use of antiseizure therapies? A report of the ILAE/AES Joint Translational Task Force. Epilepsia 2023; 64:2571-2585. [PMID: 37642296 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
In vitro preparations (defined here as cultured cells, brain slices, and isolated whole brains) offer a variety of approaches to modeling various aspects of seizures and epilepsy. Such models are particularly amenable to the application of anti-seizure compounds, and consequently are a valuable tool to screen the mechanisms of epileptiform activity, mode of action of known anti-seizure medications (ASMs), and the potential efficacy of putative new anti-seizure compounds. Despite these applications, all disease models are a simplification of reality and are therefore subject to limitations. In this review, we summarize the main types of in vitro models that can be used in epilepsy research, describing key methodologies as well as notable advantages and disadvantages of each. We argue that a well-designed battery of in vitro models can form an effective and potentially high-throughput screening platform to predict the clinical usefulness of ASMs, and that in vitro models are particularly useful for interrogating mechanisms of ASMs. To conclude, we offer several key recommendations that maximize the potential value of in vitro models in ASM screening. This includes the use of multiple in vitro tests that can complement each other, carefully combined with in vivo studies, the use of tissues from chronically epileptic (rather than naïve wild-type) animals, and the integration of human cell/tissue-derived preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Morris
- Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Massimo Avoli
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital and Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christophe Bernard
- Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Kate Connor
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marco de Curtis
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Chris G Dulla
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John G R Jefferys
- Department of Physiology, 2nd Medical School, Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Caterina Psarropoulou
- Laboratory of Animal and Human Physiology, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Kevin J Staley
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark O Cunningham
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Nascimento FA, Hood V, Yap SV, Sheikh IS, Anne Meskis M, Thiele EA. Evaluating adult care in Dravet syndrome upon transferring from pediatrics in the U.S.: A caregiver-based survey study. Epilepsy Behav 2023; 147:109368. [PMID: 37619466 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) and their caregivers must navigate a complex process upon transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare settings. Our study examines the state of care transfer of patients with DS in the U.S. A 34-question e-survey evaluating patient demographics, clinical features, and details of the transfer process was sent to caregivers of adults with DS (≥18 years old) residing in the U.S. through the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. Forty-six responses were included in the analysis. Twenty-nine patients (n = 29/46) did not undergo transfer of care - mostly because they were still followed by pediatric neurologists/epileptologists (71%), whereas 17 (n = 17/46) underwent transfer of care. Adult neurology/epilepsy teams providing care never/rarely included a multidisciplinary team (71%), addressed patients' self-advocacy capabilities (53%), or legal guardianship/end-of-life decision-making (59%). Adult neurology/epilepsy teams were considered very much attentive/available (63%), attentive and accommodating to patients with behavioral/cognitive issues (50%), and knowledgeable about caring for patients with intellectual disability/behavioral issues (63%), collaborating with caregivers (75%), and DS - especially in adults (50%). Most caregivers (62.5%) rated the transfer process as good, very good, or excellent. Patients with DS and their caregivers would benefit from more accessible transition programs, which would be ideally equipped to deliver care tailored to these patients' needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio A Nascimento
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Samantha V Yap
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irfan S Sheikh
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth A Thiele
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Abstract
Epilepsies are a diverse group of neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures. One-third of epilepsies are refractory to standard antiseizure medications. Epilepsy incidence is age-dependent with high incidence in neonates and infants. Epilepsy syndromes are classified based on clinical, electrographic, neuroimaging, age-dependent features of onset and the possibility of remission. Advances in genetic testing technology and improved access to clinical genetic testing, including whole exome sequencing, have facilitated a fundamental shift in gene discovery of monogenetic and polygenetic epilepsy, leading to precision medicine therapy and improved outcomes. Here, we review the self-limited epilepsy syndromes and developmental and epileptic encephalopathies that begin in the neonatal-infantile period with an emphasis on genetic etiology and the shifting landscape of treatment options based on genetic findings. [Pediatr Ann. 2023;52(10):e381-e387.].
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Kioutchoukova IP, Foster DT, Thakkar RN, Foreman MA, Burgess BJ, Toms RM, Molina Valero EE, Lucke-Wold B. Neurologic orphan diseases: Emerging innovations and role for genetic treatments. World J Exp Med 2023; 13:59-74. [PMID: 37767543 PMCID: PMC10520757 DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v13.i4.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Orphan diseases are rare diseases that affect less than 200000 individuals within the United States. Most orphan diseases are of neurologic and genetic origin. With the current advances in technology, more funding has been devoted to developing therapeutic agents for patients with these conditions. In our review, we highlight emerging options for patients with neurologic orphan diseases, specifically including diseases resulting in muscular deterioration, epilepsy, seizures, neurodegenerative movement disorders, inhibited cognitive development, neuron deterioration, and tumors. After extensive literature review, gene therapy offers a promising route for the treatment of neurologic orphan diseases. The use of clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats/Cas9 has demonstrated positive results in experiments investigating its role in several diseases. Additionally, the use of adeno-associated viral vectors has shown improvement in survival, motor function, and developmental milestones, while also demonstrating reversal of sensory ataxia and cardiomyopathy in Friedreich ataxia patients. Antisense oligonucleotides have also been used in some neurologic orphan diseases with positive outcomes. Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors are currently being investigated and have reduced abnormal cell growth, proliferation, and angiogenesis. Emerging innovations and the role of genetic treatments open a new window of opportunity for the treatment of neurologic orphan diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Devon T Foster
- Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Rajvi N Thakkar
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Marco A Foreman
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Brandon J Burgess
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Rebecca M Toms
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | | | - Brandon Lucke-Wold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
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Chu DY, Adluru N, Nair VA, Choi T, Adluru A, Garcia-Ramos C, Dabbs K, Mathis J, Nencka AS, Gundlach C, Conant L, Binder JR, Meyerand ME, Alexander AL, Struck AF, Hermann B, Prabhakaran V. Association of neighborhood deprivation with white matter connectome abnormalities in temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia 2023; 64:2484-2498. [PMID: 37376741 PMCID: PMC10530287 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Social determinants of health, including the effects of neighborhood disadvantage, impact epilepsy prevalence, treatment, and outcomes. This study characterized the association between aberrant white matter connectivity in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and disadvantage using a US census-based neighborhood disadvantage metric, the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), derived from measures of income, education, employment, and housing quality. METHODS Participants including 74 TLE patients (47 male, mean age = 39.2 years) and 45 healthy controls (27 male, mean age = 31.9 years) from the Epilepsy Connectome Project were classified into ADI-defined low and high disadvantage groups. Graph theoretic metrics were applied to multishell connectome diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) measurements to derive 162 × 162 structural connectivity matrices (SCMs). The SCMs were harmonized using neuroCombat to account for interscanner differences. Threshold-free network-based statistics were used for analysis, and findings were correlated with ADI quintile metrics. A decrease in cross-sectional area (CSA) indicates reduced white matter integrity. RESULTS Sex- and age-adjusted CSA in TLE groups was significantly reduced compared to controls regardless of disadvantage status, revealing discrete aberrant white matter tract connectivity abnormalities in addition to apparent differences in graph measures of connectivity and network-based statistics. When comparing broadly defined disadvantaged TLE groups, differences were at trend level. Sensitivity analyses of ADI quintile extremes revealed significantly lower CSA in the most compared to least disadvantaged TLE group. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings demonstrate (1) the general impact of TLE on DWI connectome status is larger than the association with neighborhood disadvantage; however, (2) neighborhood disadvantage, indexed by ADI, revealed modest relationships with white matter structure and integrity on sensitivity analysis in TLE. Further studies are needed to explore this relationship and determine whether the white matter relationship with ADI is driven by social drift or environmental influences on brain development. Understanding the etiology and course of the disadvantage-brain integrity relationship may serve to inform care, management, and policy for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Y Chu
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nagesh Adluru
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Veena A Nair
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Timothy Choi
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Anusha Adluru
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Camille Garcia-Ramos
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kevin Dabbs
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jedidiah Mathis
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Andrew S Nencka
- Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Carson Gundlach
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lisa Conant
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Binder
- Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mary E Meyerand
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Andrew L Alexander
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Aaron F Struck
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Bruce Hermann
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Vivek Prabhakaran
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Yang C, Liu Z, Peng Y, Zhang L, Yu D. Effectiveness and safety of Lacosamide therapy for children with focal epilepsy: a real world study. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1186768. [PMID: 37621311 PMCID: PMC10446477 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1186768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and safety of the new antiepileptic drug, lacosamide (LCM) with Levetiracetam, for the treatment of focal epilepsy in children. Methods: This study was a cohort study. Children with focal epilepsy who received LCM or Levetiracetam treatment in West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University were recruited and followed up for 12 months. Changes in the frequency of epilepsy, 50% and 75% responder rates, and seizure freedom rates from baseline to the maintenance period and adherence score were assessed. In addition, adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results: 92 patients completed the study, and were divided into two groups: LCM (n = 46) and Levetiracetam (n = 46). Participants were aged from 2 to 16.3 years, with a mean epilepsy duration of 2.57 years. The average maintenance dose of LCM was 5.03 ± 1.91 mg/kg/d after the titration period. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean seizure frequency during subsequent visits at 1, 3,6, 9, 12 months. There was significant difference between the two groups in terms of the 50% responder rate at 6 months. No serious AEs were reported in both groups. The vast majority of patients had good adherence (adherence score = 4) in the LCM group. Conclusion: LCM is effective as adjunctive therapy in children with epilepsy and has good safety, tolerability and adherence. Large sample size studies with long-term follow-up are needed in the future to comprehensively evaluate the use of LCM in children. Clinical Trial Registration: [https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=41041], identifier [ChiCTR1900024507].
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunsong Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Evidence-Based Pharmacy Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Technical Research on Drug Products in Vitro and in Vivo Correlation, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Evidence-Based Pharmacy Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Technical Research on Drug Products in Vitro and in Vivo Correlation, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuxuan Peng
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingli Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Evidence-Based Pharmacy Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Technical Research on Drug Products in Vitro and in Vivo Correlation, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
- Chinese Evidence-based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
- Department of Children’s Genetic Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Ruan Y, Deng X, Liu J, Xiao X, Yang Z. Identification of miRNAs in extracellular vesicles as potential diagnostic markers for pediatric epilepsy and drug-resistant epilepsy via bioinformatics analysis. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1199780. [PMID: 37469680 PMCID: PMC10352456 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1199780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pediatric epilepsy (PE) is a common neurological disease. However, many challenges regarding the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PE and drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) remain unsettled. Our study aimed to identify potential miRNA biomarkers in children with epilepsy and drug-resistant epilepsy by scrutinizing differential miRNA expression profiles. Methods In this study, miRNA expression profiles in plasma extracellular vesicles (EV) of normal controls, children with drug-effective epilepsy (DEE), and children with DRE were obtained. In addition, differential analysis, transcription factor (TF) enrichment analysis, Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses, and target gene prediction were used to identify specifically expressed miRNAs and their potential mechanisms of action. Potential diagnostic markers for DRE were identified using machine learning algorithms, and their diagnostic efficiency was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results The hsa-miR-1307-3p, hsa-miR-196a-5p, hsa-miR-199a-3p, and hsa-miR-21-5p were identified as diagnostic markers for PE, with values of area under curve (AUC) 0.780, 0.840, 0.832, and 0.816, respectively. In addition, the logistic regression model incorporating these four miRNAs had an AUC value of 0.940, and its target gene enrichment analysis highlighted that these miRNAs were primarily enriched in the PI3K-Akt, MAPK signaling pathways, and cell cycle. Furthermore, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-532-5p, hsa-miR-181d-5p, and hsa-miR-181a-5p showed good performance in differentiating children with DRE from those with DEE, with AUC values of 0.737 (0.534-0.940), 0.737 (0.523-0.952), 0.788 (0.592-0.985), and 0.788 (0.603-0.974), respectively. Conclusion This study characterized the expression profile of miRNAs in plasma EVs of children with epilepsy and identified miRNAs that can be used for the diagnosis of DRE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucai Ruan
- Department of Pediatrics, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
| | - Xuhui Deng
- Department of Neurology, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Medical Research Center and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
| | - Xiaobing Xiao
- Department of Pediatrics, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
- Department of Neurology, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
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Brunklaus A. Unravelling key pathways in childhood ataxia to guide diagnosis and treatment. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2023; 45:A4. [PMID: 37433712 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Brunklaus
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK; The Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK.
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Wirrell EC, Riney K, Specchio N, Zuberi SM. How have the recent updated epilepsy classifications impacted on diagnosis and treatment? Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:969-980. [PMID: 37676056 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2254937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epilepsies are a diverse group of disorders which differ regarding prognosis for seizure control and associated comorbidities. Accurate classification is critical to choose the highest yield investigations and best therapeutic options and to provide the most accurate prognoses regarding the expected degree of seizure control, possible remission, and risk of associated comorbidities to patients and their families. This article reviews the recent updates in epilepsy classification to illustrate how accurate classification impacts care for persons with epilepsy. AREAS COVERED The authors discuss the ILAE 2017 Classification of the Epilepsies along with the modification of the classification for neonatal seizures and epilepsies. They also discuss the ILAE position papers on Epilepsy syndromes in neonates and infants and children of variable age and the Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies. EXPERT OPINION Accurate epilepsy classification allows selection of the highest yield investigations, choice of optimal therapies, and accurate prognostication of seizures (likelihood of response to antiseizure treatments and likelihood of remission with age), as well as comorbidities (likelihood, type, and severity). As we move into the era of disease modifying therapy, early accurate identification of underlying causes with timely introduction of specific treatments will be crucial to lessen the severity of epilepsy, with improved seizure control and attenuation of associated comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine C Wirrell
- Divisions of Child and Adolescent Neurology and Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Kate Riney
- Neurosciences Unit, Queensland Children's Hospital, Australia and Faculty of Medicine, University of St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Clinical and Experimental Neurology, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network on Rare and Complex Epilepsies (EpiCARE), Rome, Italy
| | - Sameer M Zuberi
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK
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Perucca E, Perucca P, White HS, Wirrell EC. Drug resistance in epilepsy. Lancet Neurol 2023:S1474-4422(23)00151-5. [PMID: 37352888 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(23)00151-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is estimated to affect about a third of individuals with epilepsy, but its prevalence differs in relation to the epilepsy syndrome, the cause of epilepsy, and other factors such as age of seizure onset and presence of associated neurological deficits. Although drug-resistant epilepsy is not synonymous with unresponsiveness to any drug treatment, the probability of achieving seizure freedom on a newly tried medication decreases with increasing number of previously failed treatments. After two appropriately used antiseizure medications have failed to control seizures, individuals should be referred whenever possible to a comprehensive epilepsy centre for diagnostic re-evaluation and targeted management. The feasibility of epilepsy surgery and other treatments, including those targeting the cause of epilepsy, should be considered early after diagnosis. Substantial evidence indicates that a delay in identifying an effective treatment can adversely affect ultimate outcome and carry an increased risk of cognitive disability, other comorbidities, and premature mortality. Research on mechanisms of drug resistance and novel therapeutics is progressing rapidly, and potentially improved treatments, including those targeting disease modification, are on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Perucca
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Piero Perucca
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - H Steve White
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elaine C Wirrell
- Divisions of Child and Adolescent Neurology and Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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Feria-Romero IA, Reyes-Cuayahuitl A, Sosa-Maldonado J, Montes-Aparicio AV, Rayo-Mares D, Pérez-Pérez D, Grijalva-Otero I, Orozco-Suarez S. Study of genetic variants and their clinical significance in Mexican pediatric patients with epilepsy. Gene 2023:147565. [PMID: 37315635 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of novel and accurate techniques to identify genetic variants (with or without a record in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database) improves diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics for patients with epilepsy, especially in populations for whom such techniques exist. The aim of this study was to find a genetic profile in Mexican pediatric epilepsy patients by focusing on ten genes associated with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). METHODS This was a prospective, analytical, cross-sectional study of pediatric patients with epilepsy. Informed consent was granted by the patients' guardians or parents. Genomic DNA from the patients was sequenced using next-generation sequencing (NGS). For statistical analysis, Fisher's exact, Chi-square or Mann-Whitney U, and OR (95% CI) tests were performed, with significance values of p<0.05. RESULTS Fifty-five patients met the inclusion criteria (female 58.2%, ages 1-16 years); 32 patients had controlled epilepsy (CTR), and 23 had DRE. Four hundred twenty-two genetic variants were identified (71.3% with a known SNP registered in the NCBI database). A dominant genetic profile consisting of four haplotypes of the SCN1A, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 genes was identified in most of the patients studied. When comparing the results between patients with DRE and CTR, the prevalence of polymorphisms in the SCN1A (rs10497275, rs10198801, and rs67636132), CYP2D6 (rs1065852), and CYP3A4 (rs2242480) genes showed statistical significance (p = 0.021). Finally, the number of missense genetic variants in patients in the nonstructural subgroup was significantly higher in DRE than in CTR (1 [0-2] vs. 3 [2-4]; p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS The Mexican pediatric epilepsy patients included in this cohort presented a characteristic genetic profile infrequent in the Mexican population. SNP rs1065852 (CYP2D6*10) is associated with DRE, especially with nonstructural damage. The presence of three genetic alterations affecting the CYP2B6, CYP2C9, and CYP2D6 cytochrome genes is associated with nonstructural DRE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris A Feria-Romero
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Neurológicas, Hospital de Especialidades, "Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda", Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Aracely Reyes-Cuayahuitl
- Servicio de Neurología Pediátrica, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Alexia V Montes-Aparicio
- Programa de Maestría, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Darío Rayo-Mares
- Servicio de Neurología Pediátrica, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Daniel Pérez-Pérez
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Israel Grijalva-Otero
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Neurológicas, Hospital de Especialidades, "Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda", Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Sandra Orozco-Suarez
- Servicio de Neurología Pediátrica, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa Yozawitz
- From the Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology of the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
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Donnan AM, Schneider AL, Russ-Hall S, Churilov L, Scheffer IE. Rates of Status Epilepticus and Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy in People With Genetic Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies. Neurology 2023; 100:e1712-e1722. [PMID: 36750385 PMCID: PMC10115508 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) comprise a large group of severe epilepsy syndromes, with a wide phenotypic spectrum. Currently, the rates of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE), nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in these diseases are not well understood. We aimed to describe the proportions of patients with frequently observed genetic DEEs who developed CSE, NCSE, mortality, and SUDEP. Understanding the risks of these serious presentations in each genetic DEE will enable earlier diagnosis and appropriate management. METHODS In this retrospective analysis of patients with a genetic DEE, we estimated the proportions with CSE, NCSE, and SUDEP and the overall and SUDEP-specific mortality rates for each genetic diagnosis. We included patients with a pathogenic variant in the genes SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN8A, SYNGAP1, NEXMIF, CHD2, PCDH19, STXBP1, GRIN2A, KCNT1, and KCNQ2 and with Angelman syndrome (AS). RESULTS The cohort comprised 510 individuals with a genetic DEE, in whom we observed CSE in 47% and NCSE in 19%. The highest proportion of CSE occurred in patients with SCN1A-associated DEEs, including 181/203 (89%; 95% CI 84-93) patients with Dravet syndrome and 8/15 (53%; 95% CI 27-79) non-Dravet SCN1A-DEEs. CSE was also notable in patients with pathogenic variants in KCNT1 (6/10; 60%; 95% CI 26-88) and SCN2A (8/15; 53%; 95% CI 27-79). NCSE was common in patients with non-Dravet SCN1A-DEEs (8/15; 53%; 95% CI 27-79) and was notable in patients with CHD2-DEEs (6/14; 43%; 95% CI 18-71) and AS (6/19; 32%; 95% CI 13-57). There were 42/510 (8%) deaths among the cohort, producing a mortality rate of 6.1 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI 4.4-8.3). Cases of SUDEP accounted for 19/42 (48%) deaths. Four genes were associated with SUDEP: SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN8A, and STXBP1. The estimated SUDEP rate was 2.8 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI 1.6-4.3). DISCUSSION We showed that proportions of patients with CSE, NCSE, and SUDEP differ for commonly encountered genetic DEEs. The estimates for each genetic DEE studied will inform early diagnosis and management of status epilepticus and SUDEP and inform disease-specific counseling for patients and families in this high-risk group of conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Donnan
- From the Epilepsy Research Centre (A.M.D., A.L.S., S.R.-H., I.E.S.), Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health; Melbourne Medical School (L.C.), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville; The Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health (L.C., I.E.S.), Melbourne; and Department of Paediatrics (I.E.S.), The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amy L Schneider
- From the Epilepsy Research Centre (A.M.D., A.L.S., S.R.-H., I.E.S.), Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health; Melbourne Medical School (L.C.), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville; The Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health (L.C., I.E.S.), Melbourne; and Department of Paediatrics (I.E.S.), The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sophie Russ-Hall
- From the Epilepsy Research Centre (A.M.D., A.L.S., S.R.-H., I.E.S.), Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health; Melbourne Medical School (L.C.), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville; The Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health (L.C., I.E.S.), Melbourne; and Department of Paediatrics (I.E.S.), The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leonid Churilov
- From the Epilepsy Research Centre (A.M.D., A.L.S., S.R.-H., I.E.S.), Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health; Melbourne Medical School (L.C.), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville; The Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health (L.C., I.E.S.), Melbourne; and Department of Paediatrics (I.E.S.), The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- From the Epilepsy Research Centre (A.M.D., A.L.S., S.R.-H., I.E.S.), Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health; Melbourne Medical School (L.C.), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville; The Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health (L.C., I.E.S.), Melbourne; and Department of Paediatrics (I.E.S.), The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.
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Poke G, Stanley J, Scheffer IE, Sadleir LG. Epidemiology of Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy and of Intellectual Disability and Epilepsy in Children. Neurology 2023; 100:e1363-e1375. [PMID: 36581463 PMCID: PMC10065214 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000206758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the population-based cumulative incidence and prevalence of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) and intellectual disability and epilepsy (ID+E) in children. We analyzed the cumulative incidence of specific epilepsy syndromes. METHODS Children younger than 16 years with a DEE or ID+E were ascertained using EEG records from 2000 to 2016 in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Epilepsy syndromes were diagnosed on medical record and EEG review. Point prevalence and cumulative incidence for children with epilepsy and developmental impairment, DEE and ID+E were calculated. Cumulative incidence for each epilepsy syndrome was calculated. RESULTS The cohort comprised 235 children (58% male) with developmental impairment and epilepsy, including 152 (65%) with DEE and 83 (35%) with ID+E. The median age of seizure onset was 15.4 months (range day 1-15 years). The median follow-up from seizure onset was 7.9 years (range 0-18.2 years). Point prevalence for the broad group of children with epilepsy and developmental impairment was 175/100,000 children (95% CI 149-203; DEE 112 and ID+E 63/100,000 children). Cumulative incidence for DEE was 169/100,000 children (95% CI 144-199) and that for ID+E was 125/100,000 children (95% CI 95.4-165). Cumulative incidence per 100,000 children was as follows: infantile epileptic spasms syndrome 58.2 (95% CI 45.0-75.3), epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures 16.4 (95% CI 9.69-27.7), Lennox-Gastaut syndrome 13.2 (95% CI 4.1-41.9), and Dravet syndrome 5.1 (95% CI 2.1-12.2). Fifty/152 (33%) of children with DEE and 70/83 (84%) with ID+E could not be diagnosed with a known epilepsy syndrome. DISCUSSION Epilepsy and developmental impairment before the age of 16 years occurs in 1 in 340 children, with 1 in 590 having a DEE and 1 in 800 having ID+E. These individuals require significant health and community resources; therefore, these data will inform complex health service and education planning. Epidemiologic studies have focused on early childhood-onset DEEs. These do not fully reflect the burden of these disorders because 27% of DEEs and 70% of ID+E begin later, with seizure onset after the age of 3 years. Understanding the cumulative incidence of specific syndromes together with the broad group of DEEs is essential for the planning of therapeutic trials. Given trials focus on specific syndromes, there is a risk that effective therapies will not be developed for one-third of children with DEE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Poke
- From the Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health (G.P., L.G.S.), and Public Health (J.S.), University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand; Department of Medicine (I.E.S.), Austin Health, Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne
| | - James Stanley
- From the Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health (G.P., L.G.S.), and Public Health (J.S.), University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand; Department of Medicine (I.E.S.), Austin Health, Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- From the Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health (G.P., L.G.S.), and Public Health (J.S.), University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand; Department of Medicine (I.E.S.), Austin Health, Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne.
| | - Lynette G Sadleir
- From the Departments of Paediatrics and Child Health (G.P., L.G.S.), and Public Health (J.S.), University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand; Department of Medicine (I.E.S.), Austin Health, Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne
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Chou IJ, Hou JY, Fan WL, Tsai MH, Lin KL. Long-Term Outcome of Neonatal Seizure with PACS2 Mutation: Case Series and Literature Review. Children 2023; 10:children10040621. [PMID: 37189870 DOI: 10.3390/children10040621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Phosphofurin Acidic Cluster Sorting Protein 2 (PACS2)-related early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (EIDEE) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. EIDEE is characterized by seizures that begin during the first three months of life and are accompanied by developmental impairment over time. In this article, we present three patients with EIDEE who experienced neonatal-onset seizures that developed into intractable seizures during infancy. Whole exome sequencing revealed a de novo heterozygous missense variant in all three patients in the p.Glu209Lys variant of the PACS2 gene. We conducted a literature review and found 29 cases to characterize the seizure patterns, neuroimaging features, the usage of anticonvulsants, and the clinical neurodevelopmental outcomes of PACS2-related EIDEE. The seizures were characterized by brief, recurring tonic seizures in the upper limbs, sometimes accompanied by autonomic features. Neuroimaging abnormalities were observed in the posterior fossa region, including mega cisterna magna, cerebellar dysplasia, and vermian hypoplasia. The long-term prognosis ranges from low–average intelligence to severe developmental retardation, emphasizing the importance of early recognition and accurate diagnosis by pediatric neurologists to provide personalized patient management.
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Boßelmann CM, Hedrich UBS, Lerche H, Pfeifer N. Predicting functional effects of ion channel variants using new phenotypic machine learning methods. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010959. [PMID: 36877742 PMCID: PMC10019634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Missense variants in genes encoding ion channels are associated with a spectrum of severe diseases. Variant effects on biophysical function correlate with clinical features and can be categorized as gain- or loss-of-function. This information enables a timely diagnosis, facilitates precision therapy, and guides prognosis. Functional characterization presents a bottleneck in translational medicine. Machine learning models may be able to rapidly generate supporting evidence by predicting variant functional effects. Here, we describe a multi-task multi-kernel learning framework capable of harmonizing functional results and structural information with clinical phenotypes. This novel approach extends the human phenotype ontology towards kernel-based supervised machine learning. Our gain- or loss-of-function classifier achieves high performance (mean accuracy 0.853 SD 0.016, mean AU-ROC 0.912 SD 0.025), outperforming both conventional baseline and state-of-the-art methods. Performance is robust across different phenotypic similarity measures and largely insensitive to phenotypic noise or sparsity. Localized multi-kernel learning offered biological insight and interpretability by highlighting channels with implicit genotype-phenotype correlations or latent task similarity for downstream analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Malte Boßelmann
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Methods in Medical Informatics, Department of Computer Science, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ulrike B. S. Hedrich
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Holger Lerche
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (HL); (NP)
| | - Nico Pfeifer
- Methods in Medical Informatics, Department of Computer Science, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (HL); (NP)
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Lee J, Kim YO, Lim BC, Lee J. PRRT2-positive self-limited infantile epilepsy: Initial seizure characteristics and response to sodium channel blockers. Epilepsia Open 2023. [PMID: 36775847 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Self-limited infantile epilepsy (SeLIE) has distinctive clinical features, and the PRRT2 gene is known to be a considerable genetic cause. There have been a few studies on PRRT2-positive SeLIE only, and anti-seizure medications are often required due to frequent seizures at initial seizure onset. This study aimed to provide clinical information for the early recognition of patients with PRRT2-positive SeLIE and to propose effective anti-seizure medications for seizure control. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 36 patients diagnosed with SeLIE with genetically confirmed pathogenic variants of PRRT2. In addition, six atypical cases with neonatal-onset seizures and unremitting after 3 years of age were included to understand the expanded clinical spectrum of PRRT2-related epilepsy. We analyzed the initial presentation, clinical course, and seizure control response to anti-seizure medications. RESULTS Patients with PRRT2-related epilepsy had characteristic seizure semiology at the initial presentation, including all afebrile, clustered (n = 23, 63.9%), short-duration (n = 33, 91.7%), and bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (n = 26, 72.2%). Genetic analysis revealed that c. 649dupC was the most common variant, and six patients had a 16p11.2 microdeletion containing the PRRT2 gene. One-third of the patients were sporadic cases without a family history of epilepsy or paroxysmal movement disorders. In the 33 patients treated with anti-seizure medications, sodium channel blockers, such as carbamazepine, were the most effective in seizure control. SIGNIFICANCE Our results delineated the clinical characteristics of PRRT2-positive SeLIE, differentiating it from other genetic infantile epilepsies and discovered the effective anti-seizure medications for initial clustered seizure control. If afebrile bilateral tonic-clonic seizures develop in a normally developed infant as a clustered pattern, PRRT2-positive SeLIE should be considered as a possible diagnosis, and sodium channel blockers should be administered as the first medication for seizure control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwon Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Ok Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Byung Chan Lim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jeehun Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Uhl S, Konnyu K, Wilson R, Adam G, Robinson KA, Viswanathan M. Parent perceptions and decision making about treatments for epilepsy: a qualitative evidence synthesis. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e066872. [PMID: 36720580 PMCID: PMC9890834 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epilepsy treatment decision making is complex and understanding what informs caregiver decision making about treatment for childhood epilepsy is crucial to better support caregivers and their children. We synthesised evidence on caregivers' perspectives and experiences of treatments for childhood epilepsy. DESIGN Systematic review of qualitative studies using a best-fit framework and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) approach. DATA SOURCES Searched Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SocINDEX and Web of Science from 1 January 1999 to 19 August 2021. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA We included qualitative studies examining caregiver's perspectives on antiseizure medication, diet or surgical treatments for childhood epilepsy. We excluded studies not reported in English. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS We extracted qualitative evidence into 1 of 14 domains defined by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). One reviewer extracted study data and methodological characteristics, and two reviewers extracted qualitative findings. The team verified all extractions. We identified themes within TDF domains and synthesised summary statements of these themes. We assessed our confidence in our summary statements using GRADE-CERQual. RESULTS We identified five studies (in six reports) of good methodological quality focused on parent perceptions of neurosurgery; we found limited indirect evidence on parents' perceptions of medications or diet. We identified themes within 6 of the 14 TDF domains relevant to treatment decisions: knowledge, emotion; social/professional role and identity; social influence; beliefs about consequences; and environmental context and resources. CONCLUSIONS Parents of children with epilepsy navigate a complex process to decide whether to have their child undergo surgery. Educational resources, peer support and patient navigators may help support parents through this process. More qualitative studies are needed on non-surgical treatments for epilepsy and among caregivers from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds to fully understand the diversity of perspectives that informs treatment decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey Uhl
- Center for Clinical Evidence, ECRI, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kristin Konnyu
- Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Renee Wilson
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gaelen Adam
- Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Karen A Robinson
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Meera Viswanathan
- Evidence-based Practice Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Carroll JH, Cross JH, Hickson M, Williams E, Aldridge V, Collinson A. A core outcome set for childhood epilepsy treated with ketogenic diet therapy (CORE-KDT study): International parent and health professional consensus. Epilepsia 2023; 64:919-936. [PMID: 36654244 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) can result in benefits (seizure-related and non-seizure-related) for children with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, clinical trials report a wide range of outcomes, making synthesis of evidence difficult, and do not adequately reflect parent views on important outcomes for their child. To address this, we established the first international parent, health professional, and researcher consensus to develop a core outcome set, guided by the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) Initiative (COMET registration #1116). METHODS Ethical approval was granted (London-Surrey REC19/LO/1680). A scoping review and interviews with parents identified a comprehensive list of potentially important outcomes, followed by a two-round online Delphi survey of parents and health professionals to prioritize outcomes of importance for inclusion in a core outcome set. This informed a stakeholder consensus meeting and consultation process to finalize the core outcome set. RESULTS In total, 97 outcomes were identified; 90 from the scoping review and seven from parent interviews. These were rationalized to 77 by the study advisory group, then rated in the first Delphi round by 49 parents and 96 health professionals, who suggested 12 new outcomes for rating in Round 2. Sixty-six percent of participants (30 parents and 66 professionals) completed Round 2, where 22 outcomes met criteria for inclusion. In the consensus meeting (nine parents and 13 professionals), 27 undecided outcomes were discussed and scored; one further outcome reached consensus for inclusion. After consultation and ratification, 14 outcomes across five domains were included in the core outcome set. SIGNIFICANCE A core outcome set for childhood epilepsy treated with KDT has been developed, incorporating the views of international parents and professionals. Implementation in research and clinical settings will standardize outcome selection and reporting, facilitate data synthesis, and ultimately enhance the relevance of outcomes to parents, researchers, and health professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J Helen Cross
- Developmental Neurosciences, University College London-National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Mary Hickson
- Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Devon, UK
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Scheffer IE, Bennett CA, Gill D, de Silva MG, Boggs K, Marum J, Baker N, Palmer EE, Howell KB. Exome sequencing for patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies in clinical practice. Dev Med Child Neurol 2023; 65:50-57. [PMID: 35701389 PMCID: PMC10952465 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM To assess the clinical utility of exome sequencing for patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). METHOD Over 2 years, patients with DEEs were recruited for singleton exome sequencing. Parental segregation was performed where indicated. RESULTS Of the 103 patients recruited (54 males, 49 females; aged 2 weeks-17 years), the genetic aetiology was identified in 36 out of 103 (35%) with management implications in 13 out of 36. Exome sequencing revealed pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 30 out of 103 (29%) patients, variants of unknown significance in 39 out of 103 (38%), and 34 out of 103 (33%) were negative on exome analysis. After the description of new genetic diseases, a molecular diagnosis was subsequently made for six patients or through newly available high-density chromosomal microarray testing. INTERPRETATION We demonstrate the utility of exome sequencing in routine clinical care of children with DEEs. We highlight that molecular diagnosis often leads to changes in management and informs accurate prognostic and reproductive counselling. Our findings reinforce the need for ongoing analysis of genomic data to identify the aetiology in patients in whom the cause is unknown. The implementation of genomic testing in the care of children with DEEs should become routine in clinical practice. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS The cause was identified in 35% of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. KCNQ2, CDKL5, SCN1A, and STXBP1 were the most frequently identified genes. Reanalysis of genomic data found the cause in an additional six patients. Genetic aetiology was identified in 41% of children with seizure onset under 2 years, compared to 18% with older onset. Finding the molecular cause led to management changes in 36% of patients with DEEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid E. Scheffer
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine, Austin HealthThe University of MelbourneHeidelbergVictoria
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneVictoria
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthHeidelbergVictoria
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoria
| | - Caitlin A. Bennett
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine, Austin HealthThe University of MelbourneHeidelbergVictoria
| | - Deepak Gill
- TY Nelson Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryThe Children's Hospital at WestmeadNew South Wales
| | - Michelle G. de Silva
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteRoyal Children's HospitalParkvilleVictoria
- Australian Genomics Health AllianceMelbourne
| | - Kirsten Boggs
- Australian Genomics Health AllianceMelbourne
- Sydney Children's Hospitals NetworkSydney
| | - Justine Marum
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteRoyal Children's HospitalParkvilleVictoria
| | - Naomi Baker
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneVictoria
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteRoyal Children's HospitalParkvilleVictoria
| | | | - Katherine B. Howell
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneVictoria
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoria
- Department of NeurologyThe Royal Children's HospitalParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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Macnee M, Pérez-Palma E, López-Rivera JA, Ivaniuk A, May P, Møller RS, Lal D. Data-driven historical characterization of epilepsy-associated genes. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2023; 42:82-7. [PMID: 36586220 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Many epilepsy-associated genes have been identified over the last three decades, revealing a remarkable molecular heterogeneity with the shared outcome of recurrent seizures. Information about the genetic landscape of epilepsies is scattered throughout the literature and answering the simple question of how many genes are associated with epilepsy is not straightforward. Here, we present a computationally driven analytical review of epilepsy-associated genes using the complete scientific literature in PubMed. Based on our search criteria, we identified a total of 738 epilepsy-associated genes. We further classified these genes into two Tiers. A broad gene list of 738 epilepsy-associated genes (Tier 2) and a narrow gene list composed of 143 epilepsy-associated genes (Tier 1). Our search criteria do not reflect the degree of association. The average yearly number of identified epilepsy-associated genes between 1992 and 2021 was 4.8. However, most of these genes were only identified in the last decade (2010-2019). Ion channels represent the largest class of epilepsy-associated genes. For many of these, both gain- and loss-of-function effects have been associated with epilepsy in recent years. We identify 28 genes frequently reported with heterogenous variant effects which should be considered for variant interpretation. Overall, our study provides an updated and manually curated list of epilepsy-related genes together with additional annotations and classifications reflecting the current genetic landscape of epilepsy.
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Gakharia T, Bakhtadze S, Lim M, Khachapuridze N, Kapanadze N. Alterations of Plasma Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Children with Refractory Epilepsies. Children (Basel) 2022; 9:children9101506. [PMID: 36291442 PMCID: PMC9600205 DOI: 10.3390/children9101506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Paediatric epilepsy is a multifaceted neurological disorder with various aetiologies. Up to 30% of patients are considered drug-resistant. The background impact of interfering inflammatory and neuronal pathways has been closely linked to paediatric epilepsy. The characteristics of the inflamed state have been described not only in epilepsies, which are considered prototypes of an inflammatory pathophysiology, but also in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, especially in epileptic encephalopathies. The imbalance of different cytokine levels was confirmed in several epileptic models. Chemokines are new targets for exploring neuroimmune communication in epileptogenesis, which control leukocyte migration and have a possible role in neuromodulation. Additionally, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important effector molecule for central neural inflammatory responses and may influence drug responsiveness. We measured the serum interictal quantitative levels of chemokines (CCL2, CCL4, CCL11) and PGE2 in correlation with the seizure frequency and severity in controlled and intractable childhood epilepsies. Our refractory seizure group demonstrated significantly increased concentrations of eotaxin (CCL11) compared to the controlled epilepsy group. The higher level of CCL11 was correlated with an increased seizure frequency, while the PGE2 levels were associated with the severity of seizure and epilepsy, supporting the findings that proinflammatory cytokines may contribute to epileptogenesis and possibly have a role in developing seizure resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatia Gakharia
- Department of Childs Neurology, Tbilisi State Medical University, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +995-592933291
| | - Sophia Bakhtadze
- Department of Childs Neurology, Tbilisi State Medical University, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Ming Lim
- Evelina London Children’s Hospital @ Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
- Women’s and Children’s Department, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Kings College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Nana Khachapuridze
- Department of Childs Neurology, Tbilisi State Medical University, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Nana Kapanadze
- Department of Childs Neurology, Tbilisi State Medical University, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
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Riza AL, Streață I, Roza E, Budișteanu M, Iliescu C, Burloiu C, Dobrescu MA, Dorobanțu S, Dragoș A, Grigorescu A, Tătaru T, Ioana M, Teleanu R. Phenotypic and Genotypic Spectrum of Early-Onset Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies-Data from a Romanian Cohort. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13. [PMID: 35886038 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-onset developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) refers to an age-specific, diverse group of epilepsy syndromes with electroclinical anomalies that are associated with severe cognitive, behavioral, and developmental impairments. Genetic DEEs have heterogeneous etiologies. This study includes 36 Romanian patients referred to the Regional Centre for Medical Genetics Dolj for genetic testing between 2017 and 2020. The patients had been admitted to and clinically evaluated at Doctor Victor Gomoiu Children’s Hospital and Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia Psychiatry Hospital in Bucharest. Panel testing was performed using the Illumina® TruSight™ One “clinical exome” (4811 genes), and the analysis focused on the known genes reported in DEEs and clinical concordance. The overall diagnostic rate was 25% (9/36 cases). Seven cases were diagnosed with Dravet syndrome (likely pathogenic/pathogenic variants in SCN1A) and two with Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus (SCN1B). For the diagnosed patients, seizure onset was <1 year, and the seizure type was generalized tonic-clonic. Four additional plausible variants of unknown significance in SCN2A, SCN9A, and SLC2A1 correlated with the reported phenotype. Overall, we are reporting seven novel variants. Comprehensive clinical phenotyping is crucial for variant interpretation. Genetic assessment of patients with severe early-onset DEE can be a powerful diagnostic tool for clinicians, with implications for the management and counseling of the patients and their families.
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Bartolini E, Ferrari AR, Lattanzi S, Pradella S, Zaccara G. Drug-resistant epilepsy at the age extremes: Disentangling the underlying etiology. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 132:108739. [PMID: 35636351 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of epilepsy is highest at the extreme age ranges: childhood and elderly age. The most common syndromes in these demographics - self-limited epilepsies of childhood and idiopathic generalized epilepsies in pediatric age, focal epilepsy with structural etiology in older people - are expected to be drug responsive. In this work, we focus on such epilepsy types, overviewing the complex clinical background of unexpected drug-resistance. For self-limited epilepsies of childhood and idiopathic generalized epilepsies, we illustrate drug-resistance resulting from syndrome misinterpretation, reason on possible unexpected courses of epilepsy, and explicate the influence of inappropriate treatments. For elderly-onset epilepsy, we show the challenges in differential diagnosis possibly leading to pseudoresistance and analyze how drug-resistant epilepsy can arise in stroke, neurocognitive disorders, brain tumors, and autoimmune encephalitis. In children and senior people, drug-resistance can be regarded as a hint to review the diagnosis or explore alternative therapeutic strategies. Refractory seizures are not only a therapeutic challenge, but also a cardinal sign not to be overlooked in syndromes commonly deemed to be drug-responsive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Bartolini
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Anna Rita Ferrari
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Simona Lattanzi
- Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Silvia Pradella
- USL Centro Toscana, Neurology Unit, Nuovo Ospedale Santo Stefano, Prato, Italy.
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Zuberi SM. Precision in child neurology: Networks, systems, and technology. Dev Med Child Neurol 2022; 64:673. [PMID: 35532050 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Zuberi SM, Wirrell E, Yozawitz E, Wilmshurst JM, Specchio N, Riney K, Pressler R, Auvin S, Samia P, Hirsch E, Galicchio S, Triki C, Snead OC, Wiebe S, Cross JH, Tinuper P, Scheffer IE, Perucca E, Moshé SL, Nabbout R. ILAE classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with onset in neonates and infants: Position statement by the ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1349-1397. [PMID: 35503712 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 97.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Task Force on Nosology and Definitions proposes a classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes in the neonate and infant with seizure onset up to 2 years of age. The incidence of epilepsy is high in this age group and epilepsy is frequently associated with significant comorbidities and mortality. The licensing of syndrome specific antiseizure medications following randomized controlled trials and the development of precision, gene-related therapies are two of the drivers defining the electroclinical phenotypes of syndromes with onset in infancy. The principal aim of this proposal, consistent with the 2017 ILAE Classification of the Epilepsies, is to support epilepsy diagnosis and emphasize the importance of classifying epilepsy in an individual both by syndrome and etiology. For each syndrome, we report epidemiology, clinical course, seizure types, electroencephalography (EEG), neuroimaging, genetics, and differential diagnosis. Syndromes are separated into self-limited syndromes, where there is likely to be spontaneous remission and developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, diseases where there is developmental impairment related to both the underlying etiology independent of epileptiform activity and the epileptic encephalopathy. The emerging class of etiology-specific epilepsy syndromes, where there is a specific etiology for the epilepsy that is associated with a clearly defined, relatively uniform, and distinct clinical phenotype in most affected individuals as well as consistent EEG, neuroimaging, and/or genetic correlates, is presented. The number of etiology-defined syndromes will continue to increase, and these newly described syndromes will in time be incorporated into this classification. The tables summarize mandatory features, cautionary alerts, and exclusionary features for the common syndromes. Guidance is given on the criteria for syndrome diagnosis in resource-limited regions where laboratory confirmation, including EEG, MRI, and genetic testing, might not be available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer M Zuberi
- Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children, Institute of Health & Wellbeing, Collaborating Centre of European Reference Network EpiCARE, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Elaine Wirrell
- Divisions of Child and Adolescent Neurology and Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Elissa Yozawitz
- Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Rare and Complex Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesu' Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Rome, Italy
| | - Kate Riney
- Neurosciences Unit, Queensland Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ronit Pressler
- Clinical Neuroscience, UCL- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, London, UK
| | - Stephane Auvin
- AP-HP, Hôpital Robert-Debré, INSERM NeuroDiderot, DMU Innov-RDB, Neurologie Pédiatrique, Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Pauline Samia
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Edouard Hirsch
- Neurology Epilepsy Unit "Francis Rohmer", INSERM 1258, FMTS, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France
| | - Santiago Galicchio
- Child Neurology Department, Victor J Vilela Child Hospital of Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Chahnez Triki
- Child Neurology Department, LR19ES15 Neuropédiatrie, Sfax Medical School, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - O Carter Snead
- Pediatric Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samuel Wiebe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - J Helen Cross
- Programme of Developmental Neurosciences, UCL NIHR BRC Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, London, UK.,Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, UK
| | - Paolo Tinuper
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Austin Health and Royal Children's Hospital, Florey Institute, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emilio Perucca
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Solomon L Moshé
- Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Bronx, New York, USA.,Departments of Neuroscience and Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.,Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Rima Nabbout
- Reference Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Necker-Enfants Malades University Hospital, APHP, Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Institut Imagine, INSERM, UMR 1163, Université Paris cité, Paris, France
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Wirrell EC, Hood V, Knupp KG, Meskis MA, Nabbout R, Scheffer I, Wilmshurst J, Sullivan J. The International Consensus on Diagnosis and Management of Dravet Syndrome. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1761-1777. [PMID: 35490361 PMCID: PMC9543220 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Objective This study was undertaken to gain consensus from experienced physicians and caregivers regarding optimal diagnosis and management of Dravet syndrome (DS), in the context of recently approved, DS‐specific therapies and emerging disease‐modifying treatments. Methods A core working group was convened consisting of six physicians with recognized expertise in DS and two representatives of the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. This core group summarized the current literature (focused on clinical presentation, comorbidities, maintenance and rescue therapies, and evolving disease‐modifying therapies) and nominated the 31‐member expert panel (ensuring international representation), which participated in two rounds of a Delphi process to gain consensus on diagnosis and management of DS. Results There was strong consensus that infants 2–15 months old, presenting with either a first prolonged hemiclonic seizure or first convulsive status epilepticus with fever or following vaccination, in the absence of another cause, should undergo genetic testing for DS. Panelists agreed on evolution of specific comorbidities with time, but less agreement was achieved on optimal management. There was also agreement on appropriate first‐ to third‐line maintenance therapies, which included the newly approved agents. Whereas there was agreement for recommendation of disease‐modifying therapies, if they are proven safe and efficacious for seizures and/or reduction of comorbidities, there was less consensus for when these should be started, with caregivers being more conservative than physicians. Significance This International DS Consensus, informed by both experienced global caregiver and physician voices, provides a strong overview of the impact of DS, therapeutic goals and optimal management strategies incorporating the recent therapeutic advances in DS, and evolving disease‐modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine C Wirrell
- Divisions of Child and Adolescent Medicine and Epilepsy Department of Neurology Mayo Clinic Rochester MN USA
| | | | - Kelly G Knupp
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology University of Colorado Anschutz Campus Aurora CO USA
| | | | - Rima Nabbout
- Reference Centre for Rare Epilepsies Department of Pediatric Neurology Necker–Enfants Malades Hospital, APHP, Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Institut Imagine, INSERM, UMR 1163 Université de Paris Paris France
| | - Ingrid Scheffer
- University of Melbourne Austin Health and Royal Children’s Hospital Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Melbourne Australia
| | - Jo Wilmshurst
- Department of Paediatric Neurology Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Neuroscience Institute University of Cape Town South Africa
| | - Joseph Sullivan
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics Benioff Children’s Hospital University of California San Francisco CA USA
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Thompson K. Status epilepticus and early development: neuronal injury, neurodegeneration, and their consequences. Epilepsia Open 2022; 8 Suppl 1:S110-S116. [PMID: 35434910 PMCID: PMC10173843 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence showing that the immature brain is vulnerable to seizure-induced damage has been accumulating for decades. Clinical data have always suggested that some early-life seizures are associated with negative sequelae, but clinical observations are frequently obscured by multiple uncontrolled contributing factors and can rarely establish causality. Determining with certainty that seizures, per se, can cause neuronal death and can irreversibly disrupt critical developmental processes, required the development of suitable model systems. Several experimental seizure models clearly show that the immature brain can sustain neuronal injury as a result of uncontrolled seizure activity and that even in the absence of observable neuronal death, the developing brain is selectively vulnerable to interruptions of required growth programs. Severe early-life seizures inhibit DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, and they can reduce the accumulation of myelin and synaptic markers in the developing nervous system, leading to functional delays in development. Depending on the seizure pathway involved, and the developmental period under study, classic neurodegeneration, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis can result in permanent damage to critical neural networks in the temporal lobe and in many other brain regions. This conclusion is further supported by recent clinical studies showing that prolonged febrile status epilepticus can lead to hippocampal injury, which evolves into hippocampal atrophy and hippocampal sclerosis. A growing body of experimental data demonstrates that the metabolic compromise and cellular loss produced by seizures during critical phases of brain development negatively affect later hippocampal physiology including learning and memory functions in maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry Thompson
- Occidental College Department of Biology, 1600 Campus Rd Los Angeles CA USA
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Bjurulf B, Reilly C, Sigurdsson GV, Thunström S, Kolbjer S, Hallböök T. Dravet syndrome in children - a population-based study. Epilepsy Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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