1
|
Toptan HH, Karadag NN, Topcuoglu S, Ozalkaya E, Dincer E, Cakir H, Gunes AO, Karatekin G. Comparative Outcomes of Levetiracetam and Phenobarbital Usage in the Treatment of Neonatal Seizures: A Retrospective Analysis. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:800. [PMID: 38610222 PMCID: PMC11011900 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12070800] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES AND AIM The primary aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the safety and efficacy of levetiracetam (LEV) and phenobarbital (PB) as first-line treatments for neonatal seizure management. This study was designed to measure and compare the incidence of adverse effects and to determine the discharge and mortality rates associated with the use of these antiseizure medications (ASMs). Through this comparison, this research sought to provide insights to optimise care for neonates experiencing seizures. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective cohort study evaluated 104 neonates treated for seizures at Zeynep Kamil Hospital from 2015 to 2020 after excluding those on non-PB/LEV antiseizure medications. Seizures were characterised using electroencephalogram (EEG) and categorised according to aetiology and frequency. Treatment efficacy was gauged by seizure cessation, as confirmed using EEG. Adverse effects and demographic data were recorded. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS, employing the Shapiro-Wilk, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. RESULTS Overall, 104 neonates treated with first-line ASM were evaluated for efficacy; PB was administered in 68.26% of the cases, while LEV was utilised in 31.74%. The total complete response rate was 40.38%, with no significant difference between the PB and LEV groups (p = 0.309). The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) demonstrated that seizure frequency profoundly influenced treatment effectiveness, with IRRs of 2.09 for rare seizures, 3.25 for frequent seizures, and 4.01 for status epilepticus, indicating a higher treatment response rate with increasing seizure frequency. For second-line treatment, among a subset of 62 patients, PB had a slight, non-significant advantage over LEV, with an odds ratio of 1.09, suggesting a marginally better response to LEV. Adverse events were significantly more frequent in the PB group, affecting 19 of 67 neonates (28.36%), compared to only 2 of 71 neonates (2.82%) in the LEV group (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in the discharge rates between the two groups (PB, 67.61%; LEV, 75.76%; p = 0.674). Interestingly, the mortality rate was significantly higher in the LEV group (45.45%) than that in the PB group (22.54%; p = 0.045). CONCLUSION This study underscores LEV's superior safety profile over PB in neonatal seizure management, evidenced by a significantly lower rate of adverse events. PB seems to be more effective in the second-line treatment of neonatal seizures. Despite the lack of significant differences in the discharge rates, the higher mortality rate associated with LEV warrants further investigation. These findings advocate the cautious selection of antiepileptic drugs in neonatal care, with a preference for LEV based on its safety profile.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Handan Hakyemez Toptan
- Department of Neonatology, University of Health Sciences, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children’s Disease Health Training and Research Center-Istanbul, 34668 Istanbul, Turkey; (N.N.K.); (S.T.); (E.O.); (A.O.G.)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pressler R, Boylan G, Dempsey E, Klotz KA, Krauwinkel W, Will E, Morita D, Floricel F, Elshoff J, van den Anker J. Pharmacokinetics and safety of brivaracetam in neonates with repeated electroencephalographic seizures: A multicenter, open-label, single-arm study. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:522-533. [PMID: 38049197 PMCID: PMC10984296 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12875] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and tolerability of brivaracetam (BRV) in neonates with repeated electroencephalographic seizures not controlled with previous antiseizure medications (ASMs). METHODS Phase 2/3, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study (N01349/NCT03325439) in neonates with repeated electroencephalographic seizures (lasting ≥10 s) confirmed by video-electroencephalography, and inadequate seizure control with at least one ASM. A screening period (up to 36 h) was followed by a 48-h evaluation period during which patients received 0.5 mg/kg BRV twice daily (b.i.d) intravenously (IV). Patients who benefitted from BRV (investigator's opinion) could continue 0.5 mg/kg b.i.d (IV or oral solution) in an extension period. Outcomes included plasma concentrations of BRV following the first dose (primary), and incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). RESULTS Six patients (median [range] postnatal age: 1.5 [1.0, 6.0] days) received ≥1 dose of BRV. All six patients completed the evaluation period; two entered and completed the extension period. Overall (evaluation and extension periods), three patients received one dose of 0.5 mg/kg BRV and three received more than one dose. The median (range) duration of exposure to BRV (IV and oral solution) was 1.5 (1.0, 29.0) days (n = 6). At 0.5-1, 2-4, and 8-12 h following IV BRV administration, the GeoMean (GeoCV) plasma concentrations of BRV were 0.53 mg/L (15.40% [n = 5]), 0.50 mg/L (28.20% [n = 6]), and 0.34 mg/L (13.20% [n = 5]), respectively. Individual and population BRV PK profiles were estimated, and individual PK parameters were calculated using Bayesian feedback. The observed concentrations were consistent with the predicted PK. Three patients experienced four TEAEs, none of which were considered related to BRV. SIGNIFICANCE BRV plasma concentrations in neonates were consistent with data in older children receiving BRV oral solution, and with data from adults receiving a nominal IV dose of 25 mg b.i.d. BRV was well tolerated, with no drug-related TEAEs reported. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY Few drugs are available to treat seizures in newborn babies. Brivaracetam is approved to treat focal-onset seizures in children and adults in Europe (patients 2 years of age and older) and the United States (patients 1 month of age or older). In this study, six newborns with repeated seizures were treated with intravenous brivaracetam. The study doctors took samples of blood from the newborns and measured the levels of brivaracetam. The concentrations of brivaracetam in the newborns' blood plasma were consistent with data from studies in older children and in adults. No brivaracetam-related medical problems were reported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Pressler
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Clinical NeuroscienceUCL‐GOS Institute of Child HealthLondonUK
| | - Geraldine Boylan
- INFANT Research Centre and Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthCorkIreland
| | - Eugene Dempsey
- INFANT Research Centre and Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthCorkIreland
| | - Kerstin Alexandra Klotz
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Medical CenterUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Martínez-Morga M, Martinez-Morga SJ, Garrigos D, Martinez S. [Neurobiological basis of neonatal epilepsy and its comorbilities]. Medicina (B Aires) 2024; 84 Suppl 1:2-8. [PMID: 38350617] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of seizures is frequent during the neonatal period due to the functional immaturity of the brain.The presence of these seizures may lead to a diagnosis of neonatal epilepsy, which is usually associated with structural alterations of the brain during neurodevelopment. Approximately 50% of people with active epilepsy have at least one comorbid medical disorder, and the existence of a comorbid process changes the course of the epilepsy. The presence of neurologic disorders preceding the onset of epilepsy indicates that underlying neurobiological alterations may independently cause the predisposition to epilepsy and comorbid processes. In this review we describe the structural and functional brain processes underlying the onset of neonatal epilepsy and its comorbidities.
Collapse
|
4
|
Thalwitzer KM, Xian J, de Campo D, Parthasarathy S, Magielski J, Sullivan KR, Goss J, Rigby CS, Boland M, Prosser B, Ruggiero SM, Syrbe S, Helbig I. Early life seizures and epileptic spasms in STXBP1-related disorders. Epilepsia 2024; 65:805-816. [PMID: 38279907 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17886] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individuals with disease-causing variants in STXBP1 frequently have epilepsy onset in the first year of life with a variety of seizure types, including epileptic spasms. However, the impact of early onset seizures and antiseizure medication (ASM) on the risk of developing epileptic spasms and impact on their trajectory are poorly understood, limiting informed and anticipatory treatment, as well as trial design. METHODS We retrospectively reconstructed seizure and medication histories in weekly intervals for individuals with STXBP1 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) with epilepsy onset in the first year of life and quantitatively analyzed longitudinal seizure histories and medication response. RESULTS We included 61 individuals with early onset seizures, 29 of whom had epileptic spasms. Individuals with neonatal seizures were likely to have continued seizures after the neonatal period (25/26). The risk of developing epileptic spasms was not increased in individuals with neonatal seizures or early infantile seizures (21/41 vs. 8/16, odds ratio [OR] = 1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .3-3.9, p = 1). We did not find any ASM associated with the development of epileptic spasms following prior seizures. Individuals with prior seizures (n = 16/21, 76%) had a higher risk of developing refractory epileptic spasms (n = 5/8, 63%, OR = 1.9, 95% CI = .2-14.6, p = .6). Individuals with refractory epileptic spasms had a later onset of epileptic spasms (n = 20, median = 20 weeks) compared to individuals with nonrefractory epileptic spasms (n = 8, median = 13 weeks, p = .08). SIGNIFICANCE We provide a comprehensive assessment of early onset seizures in STXBP1-DEE and show that the risk of epileptic spasms is not increased following a prior history of early life seizures, nor by certain ASMs. Our study provides baseline information for targeted treatment and prognostication in early life seizures in STXBP1-DEE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kim M Thalwitzer
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Pediatric Epileptology, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julie Xian
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Danielle de Campo
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shridhar Parthasarathy
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jan Magielski
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Katie R Sullivan
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James Goss
- STXBP1 Foundation, Apex, Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Michael Boland
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ben Prosser
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah M Ruggiero
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Steffen Syrbe
- Division of Pediatric Epileptology, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Vyas P, Chaturvedi I, Hwang Y, Scafidi J, Kadam SD, Stafstrom CE. High Doses of ANA12 Improve Phenobarbital Efficacy in a Model of Neonatal Post-Ischemic Seizures. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1447. [PMID: 38338726 PMCID: PMC10855037 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031447] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenobarbital (PB) remains the first-line medication for neonatal seizures. Yet, seizures in many newborns, particularly those associated with perinatal ischemia, are resistant to PB. Previous animal studies have shown that in postnatal day P7 mice pups with ischemic stroke induced by unilateral carotid ligation, the tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) antagonist ANA12 (N-[2-[[(hexahydro-2-oxo-1H-azepin-3-yl)amino]carbonyl]phenyl]-benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide, 5 mg/kg) improved the efficacy of PB in reducing seizure occurrence. To meet optimal standards of effectiveness, a wider range of ANA12 doses must be tested. Here, using the unilateral carotid ligation model, we tested the effectiveness of higher doses of ANA12 (10 and 20 mg/kg) on the ability of PB to reduce seizure burden, ameliorate cell death (assessed by Fluoro-Jade staining), and affect neurodevelopment (righting reflex, negative geotaxis test, open field test). We found that a single dose of ANA12 (10 or 20 mg/kg) given 1 h after unilateral carotid ligation in P7 pups reduced seizure burden and neocortical and striatal neuron death without impairing developmental reflexes. In conclusion, ANA12 at a range of doses (10-20 mg/kg) enhanced PB effectiveness for the treatment of perinatal ischemia-related seizures, suggesting that this agent might be a clinically safe and effective adjunctive agent for the treatment of pharmacoresistant neonatal seizures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Vyas
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (P.V.); (I.C.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Ira Chaturvedi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (P.V.); (I.C.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Yun Hwang
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (P.V.); (I.C.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Joseph Scafidi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (P.V.); (I.C.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shilpa D. Kadam
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (P.V.); (I.C.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Carl E. Stafstrom
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (P.V.); (I.C.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cappellari AM, Palumbo S, Margiotta S. Questions and Controversies in Neonatal Seizures. Children (Basel) 2023; 11:40. [PMID: 38255354 PMCID: PMC10814600 DOI: 10.3390/children11010040] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Neonatal seizures are relatively common, but their diagnosis and management remain challenging. We reviewed the scientific literature on neonatal seizures from July 1973 to November 2023. Several parameters were considered, including pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, electroencephalographic findings and treatment. Recent classification system of seizures and epilepsies in the newborn, as well as treatment recommendations of neonatal seizures, have been proposed. Nonetheless, the approach to neonatal seizures varies among clinicians and centres, including detection, investigation, treatment and follow-up of patients. There are still many issues on the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal seizures, including the meaning or relevance of some electroencephalographic findings, the precise estimation of the seizure burden, the limited efficacy and side effects risk of antiseizure medications, and the best measures to establish the outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto M. Cappellari
- Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Sarah Palumbo
- Postgraduate School of Paediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Milan, 20122 Milano, Italy; (S.P.); (S.M.)
| | - Stefania Margiotta
- Postgraduate School of Paediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Milan, 20122 Milano, Italy; (S.P.); (S.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cserpan D, Guidi G, Alessandri B, Fedele T, Rüegger A, Pisani F, Sarnthein J, Ramantani G. Scalp high-frequency oscillations differentiate neonates with seizures from healthy neonates. Epilepsia Open 2023; 8:1491-1502. [PMID: 37702021 PMCID: PMC10690668 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12827] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate (1) whether an automated detector can capture scalp high-frequency oscillations (HFO) in neonates and (2) whether scalp HFO rates can differentiate neonates with seizures from healthy neonates. METHODS We considered 20 neonates with EEG-confirmed seizures and four healthy neonates. We applied a previously validated automated HFO detector to determine scalp HFO rates in quiet sleep. RESULTS Etiology in neonates with seizures included hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in 11 cases, structural vascular lesions in 6, and genetic causes in 3. The HFO rates were significantly higher in neonates with seizures (0.098 ± 0.091 HFO/min) than in healthy neonates (0.038 ± 0.025 HFO/min; P = 0.02) with a Hedge's g value of 0.68 indicating a medium effect size. The HFO rate of 0.1 HFO/min/ch yielded the highest Youden index in discriminating neonates with seizures from healthy neonates. In neonates with seizures, etiology, status epilepticus, EEG background activity, and seizure patterns did not significantly impact HFO rates. SIGNIFICANCE Neonatal scalp HFO can be detected automatically and differentiate neonates with seizures from healthy neonates. Our observations have significant implications for neuromonitoring in neonates. This is the first step in establishing neonatal HFO as a biomarker for neonatal seizures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dorottya Cserpan
- Department of NeuropediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| | - Greta Guidi
- Department of NeuropediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| | - Beatrice Alessandri
- Department of NeuropediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| | - Tommaso Fedele
- Department of NeuropediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| | - Andrea Rüegger
- Department of NeuropediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| | - Francesco Pisani
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Child Neurology and Psychiatry UnitSapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
| | - Johannes Sarnthein
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Georgia Ramantani
- Department of NeuropediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
- University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Children's Research CenterUniversity Children's HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chung KM, Hack J, Andrews J, Galindo-Kelly M, Schreiber J, Watkins J, Hammer MF. Clinical severity is correlated with age at seizure onset and biophysical properties of recurrent gain of function variants associated with SCN8A-related epilepsy. Epilepsia 2023; 64:3365-3376. [PMID: 37585367 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17747] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Genetic variants in the SCN8A gene underlie a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental phenotypes including several distinct seizure types and a host of comorbidities. One of the major challenges facing clinicians and researchers alike is to identify genotype-phenotype (G-P) correlations that may improve prognosis, guide treatment decisions, and lead to precision medicine approaches. METHODS We investigated G-P correlations among 270 participants harboring gain-of-function (GOF) variants enrolled in the International SCN8A Registry, a patient-driven online database. We performed correlation analyses stratifying the cohort by clinical phenotypes to identify diagnostic features that differ among patients with varying levels of clinical severity, and that differ among patients with distinct GOF variants. RESULTS Our analyses confirm positive correlations between age at seizure onset and developmental skills acquisition (developmental quotient), rate of seizure freedom, and percentage of cohort with developmental delays, and identify negative correlations with number of current and weaned antiseizure medications. This set of features is more detrimentally affected in individuals with a priori expectations of more severe clinical phenotypes. Our analyses also reveal a significant correlation between a severity index combining clinical features of individuals with a particular highly recurrent variant and an independent electrophysiological score assigned to each variant based on in vitro testing. SIGNIFICANCE This is one of the first studies to identify statistically significant G-P correlations for individual SCN8A variants with GOF properties. The results suggest that individual GOF variants (1) are predictive of clinical severity for individuals carrying those variants and (2) may underlie distinct clinical phenotypes of SCN8A disease, thus helping to explain the wide SCN8A-related epilepsy disease spectrum. These results also suggest that certain features present at initial diagnosis are predictive of clinical severity, and with more informed treatment plans, may serve to improve prognosis for patients with SCN8A GOF variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Mi Chung
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Joshua Hack
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Jennifer Andrews
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | | | - John Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Joseph Watkins
- Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Michael F Hammer
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Neurology Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hernández-Prieto A, Garrido-Martín M, Gómez-Martín H, Pablos-López A, Alonso-Díez C, Hernández-Fabián A, Justel-Rodríguez M, Garrido-Pedraz JM, Prieto-Matos P. [ Neonatal seizures and progression to epilepsy in a tertiary hospital]. Rev Neurol 2023; 77:249-252. [PMID: 37962536 PMCID: PMC10831768 DOI: 10.33588/rn.7710.2023218] [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: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Given the immaturity of the newborn, neonatal seizures are a diagnostic challenge. Most of them are secondary to an acute event. A small percentage constitute the onset of epilepsy. AIMS The aim was to analyse neonates with a diagnosis of seizures admitted to a tertiary hospital between November 2009 and May 2021, and their subsequent progression to epilepsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective observational study was carried out using the hospital database. Information was collected on neonates with a discharge diagnosis of 'seizures' or 'moderate or severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy'. Different variables were analysed: aetiology of the seizures, type, persistence over time, treatment and electroclinical correlates. RESULTS Of 165 patients, 55 presented neonatal seizures. As regards aetiology, 43 patients (78%) had seizures secondary to an acute event, of which 19 (34%) were hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathies, and 22 (40%) had other acute disorders. Genetic alteration was found in six of them (11%). Thirteen patients (24%) progressed to subsequent epilepsy, of whom seven had symptomatic epilepsy, with a period of latency after the acute event in two patients. Six patients had neonatal epilepsy with unprovoked seizures. Twenty-two (62%) showed electroclinical correlates. All of the confirmed crises (100%) were focal. All the seizures were treated. The drug of choice was phenobarbital. CONCLUSIONS Diagnosis of neonatal seizures requires high clinical suspicion and electroclinical confirmation. Most of them progress favourably, but a percentage constitute the onset of epilepsy, the identification of which will determine their therapeutic management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - A Pablos-López
- Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, España
| | - C Alonso-Díez
- Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España
| | | | | | | | - P Prieto-Matos
- Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, España
- Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pereira Neto B, Tuna R, Sampaio L, Vilan A. Symptomatic Subdural Hygroma Following Acinetobacter Meningitis in an Infant. Cureus 2023; 15:e48164. [PMID: 38046729 PMCID: PMC10693287 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48164] [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] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a case of a full-term newborn with prenatal congenital heart disease, admitted to a level III neonatal intensive care unit. After undergoing a surgical palliation procedure, he experienced a complicated recovery, including nosocomial sepsis with isolation of Acinetobacter nosocomialis in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Subsequently, he developed focal clonic seizures that were refractory to antiepileptic drugs, and imaging studies revealed the presence of a subdural hygroma. Surgical drainage was performed, resulting in the resolution of the seizures. This report highlights the rare occurrence of Acinetobacter meningitis unrelated to neurosurgery and its progression to subdural hygroma in an infant, emphasizing the importance of recognizing such complications as potential causes of refractory seizures following infectious processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rui Tuna
- Neurosurgery, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, PRT
| | - Luísa Sampaio
- Neuroradiology, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, PRT
| | - Ana Vilan
- Neonatology, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, PRT
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Roberts KH, Barks JDE, Glass HC, Soul JS, Chang T, Wusthoff CJ, Chu CJ, Massey SL, Abend NS, Lemmon ME, Thomas C, Guillet R, Rogers EE, Franck LS, McCaffery H, Li Y, McCulloch CE, Shellhaas RA. Feeding and developmental outcomes after neonatal seizures-A prospective observational study. Ann Child Neurol Soc 2023; 1:209-217. [PMID: 37842075 PMCID: PMC10572735 DOI: 10.1002/cns3.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Objective Among neonates with acute symptomatic seizures, we evaluated whether inability to take full feeds at time of hospital discharge from neonatal seizure admission is associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes, after adjusting for relevant clinical variables. Methods This prospective, 9-center study of the Neonatal Seizure Registry (NSR) assessed characteristics of infants with seizures including: evidence of brainstem injury on MRI, mode of feeding upon discharge, and developmental outcomes at 12, 18, and 24 months. Inability to take oral feeds was identified through review of medical records. Brainstem injury was identified through central review of neonatal MRIs. Developmental outcomes were assessed with the Warner Initial Developmental Evaluation of Adaptive and Functional Skills (WIDEA-FS) at 12, 18, and 24 months corrected age. Results Among 276 infants, inability to achieve full oral feeds was associated with lower total WIDEA-FS scores (160.2±25.5 for full oral feeds vs. 121.8±42.9 for some/no oral feeds at 24 months, p<0.001). At 12 months, a G-tube was required for 23 of the 49 (47%) infants who did not achieve full oral feeds, compared with 2 of the 221 (1%) who took full feeds at discharge (p<0.001). Conclusions Inability to take full oral feeds upon hospital discharge is an objective clinical sign that can identify infants with acute symptomatic neonatal seizures who are at high risk for impaired development at 24 months.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - John D E Barks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Hannah C Glass
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Pediatrics; UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics; University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Janet S Soul
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Taeun Chang
- Department of Neurology, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Courtney J Wusthoff
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
- Department of Pediatrics- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Catherine J Chu
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Shavonne L Massey
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Nicholas S Abend
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Departments of Anesthesia & Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Monica E Lemmon
- Departments of Pediatrics and Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
| | - Cameron Thomas
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, and Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, OH
| | - Ronnie Guillet
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Golisano Children's Hospital, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Elizabeth E Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics; UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Linda S Franck
- Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
- Department of Pediatrics; UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Yi Li
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Charles E McCulloch
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics; University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Smith J, Menéndez Méndez A, Alves M, Parras A, Conte G, Bhattacharya A, Ceusters M, Nicke A, Henshall DC, Jimenez-Mateos EM, Engel T. The P2X7 receptor contributes to seizures and inflammation-driven long-lasting brain hyperexcitability following hypoxia in neonatal mice. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:1710-1729. [PMID: 36637008 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Neonatal seizures represent a clinical emergency. However, current anti-seizure medications fail to resolve seizures in ~50% of infants. The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is an important driver of inflammation, and evidence suggests that P2X7R contributes to seizures and epilepsy in adults. However, no genetic proof has yet been provided to determine what contribution P2X7R makes to neonatal seizures, its effects on inflammatory signalling during neonatal seizures, and the therapeutic potential of P2X7R-based treatments on long-lasting brain excitability. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Neonatal seizures were induced by global hypoxia in 7-day-old mouse pups (P7). The role of P2X7Rs during seizures was analysed in P2X7R-overexpressing and knockout mice. Treatment of wild-type mice after hypoxia with the P2X7R antagonist JNJ-47965567 was used to determine the effects of the P2X7R on long-lasting brain hyperexcitability. Cell type-specific P2X7R expression was analysed in P2X7R-EGFP reporter mice. RNA sequencing was used to monitor P2X7R-dependent hippocampal downstream signalling. KEY RESULTS P2X7R deletion reduced seizure severity, whereas P2X7R overexpression exacerbated seizure severity and reduced responsiveness to anti-seizure medication. P2X7R deficiency led to an anti-inflammatory phenotype in microglia, and treatment of mice with a P2X7R antagonist reduced long-lasting brain hyperexcitability. RNA sequencing identified several pathways altered in P2X7R knockout mice after neonatal hypoxia, including a down-regulation of genes implicated in inflammation and glutamatergic signalling. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Treatments based on targeting the P2X7R may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for neonatal seizures with P2X7Rs contributing to the generation of neonatal seizures, driving inflammatory processes and long-term hyperexcitability states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon Smith
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aida Menéndez Méndez
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mariana Alves
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alberto Parras
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giorgia Conte
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Marc Ceusters
- Neuroscience Therapeutic Area, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
- The Marc Ceusters Company BV, Diest, Belgium
| | - Annette Nicke
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - David C Henshall
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eva M Jimenez-Mateos
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tobias Engel
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Thalwitzer KM, Xian J, deCampo D, Parthasarathy S, Magielski J, Sullivan KR, Goss J, Rigby CS, Boland M, Prosser B, Ruggiero SM, Syrbe S, Helbig I. Early life seizures and epileptic spasms in STXBP1-related disorders. medRxiv 2023:2023.06.26.23291892. [PMID: 37425705 PMCID: PMC10327252 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.26.23291892] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives Individuals with disease-causing variants in STXBP1 frequently have epilepsy onset in the first year of life with a variety of seizure types, including epileptic spasms. However, the impact of early-onset seizures and anti-seizure medication (ASM) on the risk of developing epileptic spasms and impact on their trajectory is poorly understood, limiting informed and anticipatory treatment, as well as trial design. Methods We retrospectively reconstructed seizure and medication histories in weekly intervals for individuals with STXBP1-related disorders with epilepsy onset in the first year of life and quantitatively analyzed longitudinal seizure histories and medication response. Results We included 61 individuals with early onset seizures, 29 of whom had epileptic spasms. Individuals with neonatal seizures were likely to have continued seizures after the neonatal period (25/26). The risk of developing epileptic spasms was not increased in individuals with neonatal seizures or early infantile seizures (21/41 vs. 8/16; OR 1, 95% CI 0.3-3.9, p = 1). We did not find any ASM associated with the development of epileptic spasms following prior seizures. Individuals with prior seizures (n = 16/21, 76%) had a higher risk to develop refractory epileptic spasms (n = 5/8, 63%, OR =1.9, 95% CI 0.2-14.6, p = 0.6). Individuals with refractory epileptic spasms had a later onset of epileptic spasms (n = 20, median 20 weeks) compared to individuals with non-refractory epileptic spasms (n = 8, median 13 weeks; p = 0.08). When assessing treatment response, we found that clonazepam (n = 3, OR 12.6, 95% CI 2.2-509.4; p < 0.01), clobazam (n=7, OR 3, 95% CI 1.6-6.2; p < 0.01), topiramate (n=9, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4-3.9; p < 0.01), and levetiracetam (n=16, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4; p < 0.01) were more likely to reduce seizure frequency and/or to maintain seizure freedom with regards to epileptic spasms than other medications. Discussion We provide a comprehensive assessment of early-onset seizures in STXBP1-related disorders and show that the risk of epileptic spasms is not increased following a prior history of early-life seizures, nor by certain ASM. Our study provides baseline information for targeted treatment and prognostication in early-life seizures in STXBP1-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kim M Thalwitzer
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Division of Pediatric Epileptology, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julie Xian
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
| | - Danielle deCampo
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USa
| | - Shridhar Parthasarathy
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
| | - Jan Magielski
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Katie Rose Sullivan
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
| | | | | | - Michael Boland
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University, USA
| | - Ben Prosser
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
| | - Sarah M Ruggiero
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
| | - Steffen Syrbe
- Division of Pediatric Epileptology, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA
- Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Center (ENDD), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Moeller AA, Stefanescu AR, Stefanescu BM, Golomb MR, Boyle FA, Buss WF, Rose RS, Wing SE. A Standardized, 3-Tiered, Seizure Burden-Based Protocol for the Treatment of Neonatal Seizures. J Child Neurol 2023; 38:142-152. [PMID: 37016747 DOI: 10.1177/08830738231164704] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate use of a standardized, 3-tiered, seizure burden-based protocol for treatment of all electroencephalography (EEG)-confirmed seizures in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). STUDY DESIGN All infants admitted to the NICU with EEG-confirmed seizures over a 25-month period were enrolled in the study. We compared short-term outcomes before and after implementation of a standardized, 3-tiered protocol. RESULTS A total of 107 infants were enrolled in the study. Use of midazolam infusions was reduced by 53.7% (p = 0.02). Midazolam infusion duration increased from 4 to 7.5 days (p = 0.003); however, when excluding 3 outliers, there was no significant difference between groups (-p = 0.67). Duration of EEG monitoring decreased from 5 to 3 days (p = 0.005). Hospital length of stay was unchanged. CONCLUSION Implementation of a standardized, 3-tiered protocol for treatment of neonatal seizures improved short-term outcomes. Although not measured directly, reductions in EEG duration and midazolam use are promising indicators of overall seizure burden. More research is needed to evaluate impact on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A Moeller
- 12250Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Andrei R Stefanescu
- 25812Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | | | - Frances A Boyle
- 12250Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Rebecca S Rose
- 12250Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sarah E Wing
- 12250Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Pavel AM, O'Toole JM, Proietti J, Livingstone V, Mitra S, Marnane WP, Finder M, Dempsey EM, Murray DM, Boylan GB. Machine learning for the early prediction of infants with electrographic seizures in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Epilepsia 2023; 64:456-468. [PMID: 36398397 PMCID: PMC10107538 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess if early clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) features predict later seizure development in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). METHODS Clinical and EEG parameters <12 h of birth from infants with HIE across eight European Neonatal Units were used to develop seizure-prediction models. Clinical parameters included intrapartum complications, fetal distress, gestational age, delivery mode, gender, birth weight, Apgar scores, assisted ventilation, cord pH, and blood gases. The earliest EEG hour provided a qualitative analysis (discontinuity, amplitude, asymmetry/asynchrony, sleep-wake cycle [SWC]) and a quantitative analysis (power, discontinuity, spectral distribution, inter-hemispheric connectivity) from full montage and two-channel amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG). Subgroup analysis, only including infants without anti-seizure medication (ASM) prior to EEG was also performed. Machine-learning (ML) models (random forest and gradient boosting algorithms) were developed to predict infants who would later develop seizures and assessed using Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS The study included 162 infants with HIE (53 had seizures). Low Apgar, need for ventilation, high lactate, low base excess, absent SWC, low EEG power, and increased EEG discontinuity were associated with seizures. The following predictive models were developed: clinical (MCC 0.368, AUC 0.681), qualitative EEG (MCC 0.467, AUC 0.729), quantitative EEG (MCC 0.473, AUC 0.730), clinical and qualitative EEG (MCC 0.470, AUC 0.721), and clinical and quantitative EEG (MCC 0.513, AUC 0.746). The clinical and qualitative-EEG model significantly outperformed the clinical model alone (MCC 0.470 vs 0.368, p-value .037). The clinical and quantitative-EEG model significantly outperformed the clinical model (MCC 0.513 vs 0.368, p-value .012). The clinical and quantitative-EEG model for infants without ASM (n = 131) had MCC 0.588, AUC 0.832. Performance for quantitative aEEG (n = 159) was MCC 0.381, AUC 0.696 and clinical and quantitative aEEG was MCC 0.384, AUC 0.720. SIGNIFICANCE Early EEG background analysis combined with readily available clinical data helped predict infants who were at highest risk of seizures, hours before they occur. Automated quantitative-EEG analysis was as good as expert analysis for predicting seizures, supporting the use of automated assessment tools for early evaluation of HIE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreea M. Pavel
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - John M. O'Toole
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | | | - Vicki Livingstone
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | | | - William P. Marnane
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Electrical & Electronic EngineeringSchool of EngineeringUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Mikael Finder
- Department of Neonatal MedicineKarolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
- Division of Paediatrics, Department CLINTECKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Eugene M. Dempsey
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Deirdre M. Murray
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Geraldine B. Boylan
- INFANT Research CentreUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Paediatrics and Child HealthUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Woodward KE, Murthy P, Mineyko A, Mohammad K, Esser MJ. Identifying Genetic Susceptibility in Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Retrospective Case Series. J Child Neurol 2023; 38:16-24. [PMID: 36628482 DOI: 10.1177/08830738221147805] [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] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a clinical phenomenon that often results from perinatal asphyxia. To mitigate secondary neurologic injury, prompt initial assessment and diagnosis is needed to identify patients eligible for therapeutic hypothermia. However, occasionally neonates present with a clinical picture of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy without significant risk factors for perinatal asphyxia. We hypothesized that in patients with genetic abnormalities, the clinical manifestation of those abnormalities may overlap with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy criteria, potentially contributing to a causal misattribution. We reviewed 210 charts of infants meeting local protocol criteria for moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonatal intensive care units in Calgary, Alberta. All patients that met criteria for therapeutic hypothermia were eligible for the study. Data were collected surrounding pregnancy and birth histories, as well as any available genetic or metabolic testing including microarray, gene panels, whole-exome sequencing, and newborn metabolic screens. Twenty-eight patients had genetic testing such as microarray, whole-exome sequencing, or a gene panel, because of clinical suspicion. Ten of 28 patients had genetic mutations, including CDKL5, pyruvate dehydrogenase, CFTR, CYP21A2, ISY1, KIF1A, KCNQ2, SCN9A, MTFMT, and NPHP1. All patients lacked significant risk factors to support a moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy diagnosis. Treatment was changed in 2 patients because of confirmed genetic etiology. This study demonstrates the importance of identifying genetic comorbidities as potential contributors to a hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy phenotype in neonates. Early identification of clinical factors that support an alternate diagnosis should be considered when the patient's clinical picture is not typical of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and could aid in both treatment decisions and outcome prognostication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristine E Woodward
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada
| | - Prashanth Murthy
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada
| | - Aleksandra Mineyko
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada
| | - Khorshid Mohammad
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada
| | - Michael J Esser
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 9978Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Garavatti E, Yamamoto E, Collins K, Selden N, Bushlin I. Surgical Resection of Focal Cortical Dysplasia in a Neonate with Novel TSC1 Mutation Leading to Resolution of Refractory Seizures: Case Report. Child Neurol Open 2023; 10:2329048X231219223. [PMID: 38107744 PMCID: PMC10722926 DOI: 10.1177/2329048x231219223] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe a neonate presenting on first day of life with refractory seizures secondary to a single, large area of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) who underwent surgical resection at age 3 weeks leading to resolution of seizure activity and dramatic improvement in developmental trajectory. Surgical intervention for epilepsy is infrequently offered for neonates, often reserved only for those with catastrophic presentations. This case demonstrates that surgical intervention can be safe and efficacious in neonates for pharmaco-resistant seizures associated with a focal lesion. Rapid whole exome sequencing in this case yielded a germline novel de novo TSC1 mutation, leading to a genetic diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Our patient demonstrates an atypical neonatal presentation of TSC. Limited data is available for those with isolated FCD in TSC; this is the first reported case in a neonate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Garavatti
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Erin Yamamoto
- Neurosurgery, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Kelly Collins
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Nathan Selden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Ittai Bushlin
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Serrano-Tabares C, Trujillo-Gómez J, Morales-Gil RM, Aguilar-Pérez Y, Jiménez-Villegas MJ. Tolerance and response to ketogenic therapy in neonates and infants younger than 4 months. Case series in a hospital center in Medellin, Colombia. Rev Neurol 2022; 75:305-310. [PMID: 36354299 PMCID: PMC10280766 DOI: 10.33588/rn.7510.2022134] [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: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ketogenic therapy (KT) studies have focused in children older than 2 years and adults. Recently its efficacy in infants has been reported, but there are few studies in this age group. PATIENTS AND METHODS We report a case series of nine newborn and children younger than 4 months of age with refractory epilepsy treated with KT. We retrospectively reviewed charts of children treated at our center between 2015-2021. RESULTS Data was collected on seven patients. Six patients began having seizures on day one of life, one had seizures starting on day 45. Different epilepsy etiologies were found. KT was started as soon as 9 days of life. The average age at which ketogenic therapy was started was 24 days of life. Initially, the diet was started at 1:1 or 2:1 ratio, and was progressed to a 4:1 ratio. After one month of KT 5/7 patients experienced a significant reduction in seizure frequency (>50%) and 2/7 had complete seizure control. At six months, 4/7 patients achieve complete seizure freedom and 1/7 had >50% seizure reduction. Two patients were lost to follow-up. None of our patients reported gastrointestinal side effects that required diet adjustments. One patient had mild and one mild hypertriglyceridemia. CONCLUSION Even though evidence about KT in young children are starting to emerge, our experience shows it can be successful in controlling seizure burden without considerable adverse effects. There is great research potential regarding KT in young children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Serrano-Tabares
- Departamento de Pediatría y Puericultura. Universidad de AntioquiaUniversidad de AntioquiaUniversidad de AntioquiaUniversidad de AntioquiaColombia
- Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)MedellínColombia
| | - Juliana Trujillo-Gómez
- Hospital General de MedellínHospital General de MedellínHospital General de MedellínMedellínColombia
| | - Rosa M. Morales-Gil
- Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)MedellínColombia
| | - Yudy Aguilar-Pérez
- Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana (CUB)MedellínColombia
| | - M. José Jiménez-Villegas
- Departamento de Pediatría y Puericultura. Universidad de AntioquiaUniversidad de AntioquiaUniversidad de AntioquiaUniversidad de AntioquiaColombia
- Instituto Neurológico de Colombia. MedellínInstituto Neurológico de ColombiaInstituto Neurológico de ColombiaMedellínColombia
- Clínica SOMER. Rionegro, ColombiaClínica SOMERClínica SOMERRionegroColombia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
de Corrêa NC, Bom JMDS, Scherer MR, Nunes ML. Clinical profile of a cohort of neonates with seizures: Association between semiology, etiology, and electroencephalographic findings. Pediatr Neonatol 2022; 63:582-589. [PMID: 35922262 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2022.04.009] [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: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seizures are the most common sign of neurologic dysfunction, reflecting a wide variety of central nervous system disorders. METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional study of neonates with a clinical diagnosis of seizures was conducted in order to verify relationships between clinical aspects and EEG findings. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the EEG recording available as: 1) with confirmatory ictal EEG; 2) with altered but non-ictal EEG; and 3) without any EEG recording. Variables related to pregnancy and birth history, neonatal complications, and seizure semiology (by video or clinical description) were compared to EEG findings. RESULTS 97 neonates were included (39.1% preterm, 54.6% male), 71 with available EEG data (56.3% with ictal EEG). The group without EEG presented clinical characteristics significantly different from the others such as extreme prematurity, low birth weight, and higher neonatal mortality (P = 0.002, 0.001, and 0.003, respectively). The most common etiology was hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) (46.4%) followed by vascular disorders, which predominated in extremely preterm neonates (P = 0.006). Sequential seizure was the most common type (44.6%) and was more frequently identified in term neonates (46%). In 51.2% of the ictal recordings the main finding was electrographic seizure without clinical manifestation. Discharge using antiseizure medication was higher among those with ictal or altered non-ictal EEG (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS HIE is still a frequently etiology for neonatal seizures. Even if the patients in the sample were not under continuous EEG, the substantial proportion of electrographic seizures without clinical manifestations detected suggests the importance of continuous EEG monitoring in neonates at increased risk of seizures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natália Corrêa de Corrêa
- Board Certified on Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Sao Lucas, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | - Magda Lahorgue Nunes
- Brain Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; School of Medicine, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Falsaperla R, Scalia B, Liotta EA, Cimino C, Ruggieri M. Prolonged Background Suppression Induced by Anticonvulsants Misleading Amplitude-Integrated Encephalography's Interpretation: A Single Case Report. Ther Hypothermia Temp Manag 2022; 12:240-244. [PMID: 36269583 DOI: 10.1089/ther.2022.0028] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prognostic role of the amplitude-integrated encephalography (aEEG) is undeniable, but few works focused on the contribution of medications in misleading its interpretation. We report the case of an asphyxiated newborn enrolled for therapeutic hypothermia (TH) that required the simultaneous use of three anticonvulsants, whose administration resulted in a comatose state and in a switch to a flat trace on the aEEG. The prolonged flat trace on the aEEG, pointing toward a state of irreversible brain damage, led to early stop of TH to prevent therapeutic obstinacy; unexpectedly, once Midazolam was weaned off, the aEEG recovered to a discontinuous pattern. The case emphasizes the aEEG's noninfallibility and advises clinicians to consider the potential misleading effects of depressant medications on its interpretation in asphyxiated newborns undergoing TH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Falsaperla
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, A.O. Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco, Catania, Italy.,Unit of Pediatrics, Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care, and Pediatric Emergency, AOU "Policlinico," PO "San Marco", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Bruna Scalia
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, A.O. Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuele A Liotta
- Postgraduate Programme in Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Carla Cimino
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, A.O. Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco, Catania, Italy
| | - Martino Ruggieri
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, A.U.O. Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele Catania, Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Howard R, Li R, Harvey-Jones K, Verma V, Lange F, Boylan G, Tachtsidis I, Mitra S. Optical Monitoring in Neonatal Seizures. Cells 2022; 11:2602. [PMID: 36010678 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal seizures remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The past decade has resulted in substantial progress in seizure detection and understanding the impact seizures have on the developing brain. Optical monitoring such as cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and broadband NIRS can provide non-invasive continuous real-time monitoring of the changes in brain metabolism and haemodynamics. AIM To perform a systematic review of optical biomarkers to identify changes in cerebral haemodynamics and metabolism during the pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal phases of neonatal seizures. METHOD A systematic search was performed in eight databases. The search combined the three broad categories: (neonates) AND (NIRS) AND (seizures) using the stepwise approach following PRISMA guidance. RESULTS Fifteen papers described the haemodynamic and/or metabolic changes observed with NIRS during neonatal seizures. No randomised controlled trials were identified during the search. Studies reported various changes occurring in the pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal phases of seizures. CONCLUSION Clear changes in cerebral haemodynamics and metabolism were noted during the pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal phases of seizures in neonates. Further studies are necessary to determine whether NIRS-based methods can be used at the cot-side to provide clear pathophysiological data in real-time during neonatal seizures.
Collapse
|
22
|
Guidotti I, Lugli L, Ori L, Roversi MF, Casa Muttini ED, Bedetti L, Pugliese M, Cavalleri F, Stefanelli F, Ferrari F, Berardi A. Neonatal seizures treatment based on conventional multichannel EEG monitoring: an overview of therapeutic options. Expert Rev Neurother 2022; 22:623-638. [PMID: 35876114 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2022.2105698] [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] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Seizures are the main neurological emergency during the neonatal period and are mostly acute and focal. The prognosis mainly depends on the underlying etiology. Conventional multichannel video-electroencephalographic (cEEG) monitoring is the gold standard for diagnosis, but treatment remains a challenge. AREAS COVERED : This review, based on PubMed search over the last 4 decades, focuses on the current treatment options for neonatal seizures based on cEEG monitoring. There is still no consensus on seizure therapy, owing to poor scientific evidence. Traditionally, the first-line treatments are phenobarbital and phenytoin, followed by midazolam and lidocaine, but their efficacy is limited. Therefore, current evidence strongly suggests the use of alternative antiseizure medications. Randomized controlled trials of new drugs are ongoing. EXPERT OPINION : Therapy for neonatal seizures should be prompt and tailored, based on semeiology, mirror of the underlying cause, and cEEG features. Further research should focus on antiseizure medications that directly act on the etiopathogenetic mechanism responsible for seizures and are therefore more effective in seizure control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isotta Guidotti
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Licia Lugli
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Luca Ori
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria Federica Roversi
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisa Della Casa Muttini
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Luca Bedetti
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Marisa Pugliese
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Cavalleri
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Neuroscience, Nuovo Ospedale Civile S. Agostino-Estense, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Stefanelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Mothers, Children and Adults, Post Graduate School of Pediatrics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ferrari
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Alberto Berardi
- Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Zayachkivsky A, Lehmkuhle MJ, Ekstrand JJ, Dudek FE. Background suppression of electrical activity is a potential biomarker of subsequent brain injury in a rat model of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:118-130. [PMID: 35675445 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00024.2022] [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] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrographic seizures and abnormal background activity in the neonatal electroencephalogram (EEG) may differentiate between harmful versus benign brain insults. Using two animal models of neonatal seizures, electrical activity was recorded in freely behaving rats and examined quantitatively during successive time periods with field-potential recordings obtained shortly after the brain insult (i.e., 0-4 days). Single-channel, differential recordings with miniature wireless telemetry were used to analyze spontaneous electrographic seizures and background suppression of electrical activity after 1) hypoxia-ischemia (HI), which is a model of neonatal encephalopathy that causes acute seizures and a large brain lesion with possible development of epilepsy, 2) hypoxia alone (Ha), which causes severe acute seizures without an obvious lesion or subsequent epilepsy, and 3) sham control rats. Background EEG exhibited increases in power as a function of age in control animals. Although background electrical activity was depressed in all frequency bands immediately after HI, suppression in the β and γ bands was greatest and lasted longest. Spontaneous electrographic seizures were recorded, but only in a few HI-treated animals. Ha-treated rat pups were similar to sham controls, they had no subsequent spontaneous electrographic seizures after the treatment and background suppression was only briefly observed in one frequency band. Thus, the normal age-dependent maturation of electrical activity patterns in control animals was significantly disrupted after HI. Suppression of the background EEG observed here after HI-induced acute seizures and subsequent brain injury may be a noninvasive biomarker for detecting severe brain injuries and may help predict subsequent epilepsy.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Biomarkers of neonatal brain injury are needed. Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in immature rat pups caused severe brain injury, which was associated with strongly suppressed background EEG. The suppression was most robust in the β and γ bands; it started immediately after the HI injury and persisted for days. Thus, background suppression may be a noninvasive biomarker for detecting severe brain injuries and may help predict subsequent epilepsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Zayachkivsky
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - M J Lehmkuhle
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - J J Ekstrand
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - F E Dudek
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Staley
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Arredondo K, Myers C, Hansen-Kiss E, Mathew MT, Jayaraman V, Siemon A, Bartholomew D, Herman GE, Mori M. Phenotypic Spectrum in a Family Sharing a Heterozygous KCNQ3 Variant. J Child Neurol 2022; 37:517-523. [PMID: 35384780 DOI: 10.1177/08830738221089741] [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] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Mutations in KCNQ3 have classically been associated with benign familial neonatal and infantile seizures and more recently identified in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. We present 4 affected patients from a family with a pathogenic mutation in KCNQ3 with a unique constellation of clinical findings. METHODS A family of 3 affected siblings and mother sharing a KCNQ3 pathogenic variant are described, including clinical history, genetic results, and EEG and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. RESULTS This family shows a variety of clinical manifestations, including neonatal seizures, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, and anxiety. One child developed absence epilepsy, 2 children have infrequent convulsive seizures that have persisted into childhood, and their parent developed adult-onset epilepsy. An underlying c.1091G>A (R364H) variant in KCNQ3 was found in all affected individuals. CONCLUSIONS The phenotypic variability of KCNQ3 channelopathies continues to expand as more individuals and families are described, and the variant identified in this family adds to the understanding of the manifestations of KCNQ3-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Arredondo
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Cortlandt Myers
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Emily Hansen-Kiss
- Department of Diagnostic & Biomedical Sciences, 12340University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Dentistry, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mariam T Mathew
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Vijayakumar Jayaraman
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amy Siemon
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Dennis Bartholomew
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Gail E Herman
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mari Mori
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Falsaperla R, Scalia B, Giaccone F, Suppiej A, Pulvirenti A, Mailo J, Ruggieri M. aEEG vs cEEG's sensivity for seizure detection in the setting of neonatal intensive care units: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Paediatr 2022; 111:916-926. [PMID: 35006632 DOI: 10.1111/apa.16251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG)'s accuracy compared to conventional electroencephalography (cEEG) has not been fully established. The aim of our study was to conduct a systematic review on the sensitivity of the aEEG for neonatal seizure detection. METHODS Studies from PubMed and Google Scholar databases comparing recordings of cEEG and aEEG in newborns were included according to the PRISMA method. A quality assessment using the QUADAS-2 tool was provided. A random-effect model was used to account for different sources of variations among studies. Publication biases were represented by a funnel plot, and funnel plot symmetry was assessed. RESULTS Fourteen studies were reported; sensitivity of each diagnostic tool used (single-channel aEEG, two-channel aEEG, two-channel aEEG plus raw trace EEG) was compared to that of the gold-standard cEEG and to those of the other methods used. Overall sensitivity of the aEEG ranged from 31.25% to 90%. CONCLUSION Our study provides evidence that sensitivity of aEEG varies significantly and that seizure detection rate is lower than that of cEEG. The two-channel aEEG with raw trace EEG shows a high sensitivity and might represent a valid alternative to the cEEG in the setting of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Falsaperla
- Unit of Neonatology University Hospital "Policlinico – San Marco" Catania Italy
| | - Bruna Scalia
- Unit of Neonatology University Hospital "Policlinico – San Marco" Catania Italy
| | - Fabiola Giaccone
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Program Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine University of Catania Catania Italy
| | - Agnese Suppiej
- Department of Medical Sciences Pediatric Section University of Ferrara Ferrara Italy
| | - Alfredo Pulvirenti
- Bioinformatics Unit Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine University of Catania Catania Italy
| | - Janette Mailo
- Division of Pediatric Neurology University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | - Martino Ruggieri
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry A.U.O. Policlinico‐Vittorio Emanuele Catania Catania Italy
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
High neonatal seizure burden is associated with worsened neurodevelopmental outcomes. We compared the efficacy of initial treatment with levetiracetam vs phenobarbital for maintaining low seizure burden in a retrospective cohort of 25 neonates monitored with video electroencephalography (EEG). Video EEG tracing were reviewed and paired with medication bolus times to determine seizure burden after treatment. Initial cumulative dose of phenobarbital was 20 mg/kg in all but 1 case; initial cumulative dose of levetiracetam ranged from 50 to 100 mg/kg. Eleven of 17 (65%) patients sustained seizure burden <10% following initial treatment with levetiracetam, compared with 5 of 8 (63%) with phenobarbital. Thirteen (76%) patients treated with levetiracetam had sustained seizure burden <20% compared with 6 (75%) treated with phenobarbital. The phenobarbital group showed a larger absolute reduction in average seizure burden in the hour before and after treatment (-24.3 vs -14.2 minutes/h). Six of 17 (35%) patients treated with levetiracetam remained seizure free after initial treatment, compared with 2 of 8 (25%) patients treated with phenobarbital. Initial treatment with levetiracetam was associated with shorter average time to seizure freedom (15 vs 21 hours). None of these results were statistically significant. Cumulative doses of levetiracetam 100 mg/kg were well tolerated and associated with substantial decrease in seizure burden in several cases. Levetiracetam remains a promising first-line treatment for neonatal seizures; additional randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of high-dose levetiracetam on seizure burden and long-term outcomes are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Verwoerd
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, 5228University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jamie Limjoco
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, 5228University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Victoria Rajamanickam
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatices, 5228University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrew Knox
- Department of Neurology, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Keene JC, Wainwright M, Morgan LA, Mietzsch U, Musa N, Bozarth XL, Natarajan N. Retrospective Evaluation of First-line Levetiracetam use for Neonatal Seizures after Congenital Heart Defect repair with or without Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther 2022; 27:254-262. [PMID: 35350164 DOI: 10.5863/1551-6776-27.3.254] [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: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Levetiracetam (LEV) efficacy for neonatal seizures is debated. We evaluated LEV as a first line anti-seizure medicine (ASM) in neonates following neonatal congenital heart defect (CHD) repair who did not require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) vs neonates who required ECMO. METHODS A single center retrospective review of neonates with CHD from 2015 to 2020 was conducted. Neonates were included if seizures were present on continuous EEG after CHD repair either on or off ECMO, and they received LEV as a first line ASM. Primary outcomes were seizure resolution with LEV, adverse events and response to subsequent ASM. RESULTS Eighteen total neonates were evaluated, 10 with seizures post-CHD repair who did not require ECMO and 8 who required ECMO. In the non-ECMO cohort, nine of ten were successfully treated with LEV monotherapy with no adverse events. In comparison, the eight neonates who required ECMO had a higher initial seizure burden (1.6% vs 17%, p=0.003), were more likely to have injury on neuroimaging (12.5 vs 75%, p= 0.04), and all neonates required multiple ASMs. Seizure burden did not decrease with LEV, but significantly decreased with phenobarbital and fosphenytoin (14.4% and 10.5%, p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS Neonates with CHD and seizures on and off ECMO demonstrated divergent seizure characteristics including seizure burden and response to LEV. LEV may reduce neonatal seizure burden after uncomplicated CHD repair. However, in neonates requiring ECMO, multiple ASMs were required. A prospective evaluation of ASM efficacy and safety in this high-risk population is urgently needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Keene
- University of Washington, Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology (JK, MW, LM, XB, NN), Seattle, WA
| | - Mark Wainwright
- University of Washington, Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology (JK, MW, LM, XB, NN), Seattle, WA
| | - Lindsey A Morgan
- University of Washington, Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology (JK, MW, LM, XB, NN), Seattle, WA
| | | | - Ndidi Musa
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (NM), Seattle, WA
| | - Xiuhua L Bozarth
- University of Washington, Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology (JK, MW, LM, XB, NN), Seattle, WA
| | - Niranjana Natarajan
- University of Washington, Department of Neurology, Division of Child Neurology (JK, MW, LM, XB, NN), Seattle, WA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
McLaren R, Clark M, Narayanamoorthy S, Rastogi S. Antenatal factors for neonatal seizures among late preterm births. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 35:9544-9548. [PMID: 35253602 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2022.2047924] [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] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate for antenatal risk factors for neonatal seizures among late preterm births. STUDY DESIGN This was a case control study which included late preterm births without anomaly from the United States Natality database. Cases were infants with neonatal seizures, while the controls consisted of infants without neonatal seizures. Maternal and pregnancy characteristics were compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to investigate risk factors for neonatal seizures. RESULTS Of the 943,580 late preterm births, 512 (0.05%) developed neonatal seizures. Significant risk factors associated with neonatal seizures among late preterm births included number of prenatal visits (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.94, 95% CI [0.92-0.96]), smoking history (aOR 1.78, 95% CI [1.41-2.25]), chorioamnionitis (aOR 4.37, 95% CI [2.65-7.21]), non-Hispanic White race (aOR 1.41, 95% CI [1.13-1.76]), and cesarean birth (aOR 2.31, 95% CI [1.91-2.80]). CONCLUSION Number of prenatal visits, history of smoking, chorioamnionitis, non-Hispanic white race, and cesarean birth are risk factors for neonatal seizures at late preterm gestation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodney McLaren
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maureen Clark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | | | - Shantanu Rastogi
- Children's National Hospital, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Thomas RB, Muttavarapu SS, Shetty PK, Lewis LE. Efficacy and Utilization Patterns of Anti-Epileptic Drugs in the Management of Neonatal Seizures: A Comparative Exploration. Neurol India 2022; 70:574-578. [PMID: 35532621 DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.344647] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Management of neonatal seizures with available limited guidelines across different gestation can cause long-term neurological and cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVES To compare utilization and observe the efficacy of anti-epileptic drugs in the treatment of neonatal seizures. The association of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy with NS and the etiology of HIE were also determined. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital for a period of one year. It was approved by IEC prior to initiation. PARTICIPANTS Neonates admitted for seizure management and perinatal asphyxia with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were included in the study. Both term and preterm 267 neonates from January 2014 to July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The drugs with the fastest seizure resolution, least recurrence, and readmission rates were considered efficient. Phenobarbitone, levetiracetam, and phenytoin were compared as they were commonly prescribed. Inpatient medical records and hospital databases served as sources of information. RESULTS Phenobarbitone was commonly utilized, followed by phenytoin and levetiracetam. The commonly prescribed combination was phenobarbitone (first-line agent) and phenytoin (second-line agent). Phenobarbitone immediately resolved seizures (97, 75.1%) and had the least cases of seizure recurrences (53, 41.1%) and readmissions (20, 15.5%), making it most efficient. The best second-line agent was phenytoin, with the least seizure recurrence (4, 8.51%), least readmissions (7, 14.8%), and fastest resolution (25, 53.1%). Levetiracetam was an efficient third-line agent. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy was the most observed cause of neonatal seizures. CONCLUSION Phenobarbitone was observed as the most utilized and efficient anti-epileptic drug, followed by phenytoin and levetiracetam. Owing to limitations in this study, there is an alarming need for standardized clinical trials to establish thorough guidelines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rose B Thomas
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Spandana Siri Muttavarapu
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Prasanna K Shetty
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Leslie E Lewis
- Department of Neonatology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Massey SL, Glass HC, Shellhaas RA, Bonifacio S, Chang T, Chu C, Cilio MR, Lemmon ME, McCulloch CE, Soul JS, Thomas C, Wusthoff CJ, Xiao R, Abend NS. Characteristics of Neonates with Cardiopulmonary Disease Who Experience Seizures: A Multicenter Study. J Pediatr 2022; 242:63-73. [PMID: 34728234 PMCID: PMC8882137 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.10.058] [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: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare key seizure and outcome characteristics between neonates with and without cardiopulmonary disease. STUDY DESIGN The Neonatal Seizure Registry is a multicenter, prospectively acquired cohort of neonates with clinical or electroencephalographic (EEG)-confirmed seizures. Cardiopulmonary disease was defined as congenital heart disease, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and exposure to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We assessed continuous EEG monitoring strategy, seizure characteristics, seizure management, and outcomes for neonates with and without cardiopulmonary disease. RESULTS We evaluated 83 neonates with cardiopulmonary disease and 271 neonates without cardiopulmonary disease. Neonates with cardiopulmonary disease were more likely to have EEG-only seizures (40% vs 21%, P < .001) and experience their first seizure later than those without cardiopulmonary disease (174 vs 21 hours of age, P < .001), but they had similar seizure exposure (many-recurrent electrographic seizures 39% vs 43%, P = .27). Phenobarbital was the primary initial antiseizure medication for both groups (90%), and both groups had similarly high rates of incomplete response to initial antiseizure medication administration (66% vs 68%, P = .75). Neonates with cardiopulmonary disease were discharged from the hospital later (hazard ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.25-0.45, P < .001), although rates of in-hospital mortality were similar between the groups (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% CI 0.66-1.94, P = .64). CONCLUSION Neonates with and without cardiopulmonary disease had a similarly high seizure exposure, but neonates with cardiopulmonary disease were more likely to experience EEG-only seizures and had seizure onset later in the clinical course. Phenobarbital was the most common seizure treatment, but seizures were often refractory to initial antiseizure medication. These data support guidelines recommending continuous EEG in neonates with cardiopulmonary disease and indicate a need for optimized therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shavonne L. Massey
- Division of Neurology, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hannah C. Glass
- Departments of Neurology and UCSF Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco,Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | | | | | - Taeun Chang
- Department of Neurology, Children’s National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences
| | - Catherine Chu
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Maria Roberta Cilio
- Departments of Pediatrics, Saint-Luc University Hospital, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Monica E. Lemmon
- Department of Pediatrics and Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - Charles E. McCulloch
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | - Janet S. Soul
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Cameron Thomas
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati
| | | | - Rui Xiao
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas S. Abend
- Division of Neurology, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Herzberg EM, Machie M, Glass HC, Shellhaas RA, Wusthoff CJ, Chang T, Abend NS, Chu CJ, Cilio MR, Bonifacio SL, Massey SL, McCulloch CE, Soul JS. Seizure Severity and Treatment Response in Newborn Infants with Seizures Attributed to Intracranial Hemorrhage. J Pediatr 2022; 242:121-128.e1. [PMID: 34780777 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.11.012] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought to characterize intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) as a seizure etiology in infants born term and preterm. For infants born term, we sought to compare seizure severity and treatment response for multisite vs single-site ICH and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) with vs without ICH. STUDY DESIGN We studied 112 newborn infants with seizures attributed to ICH and 201 infants born at term with seizures attributed to HIE, using a cohort of consecutive infants with clinically diagnosed and/or electrographic seizures prospectively enrolled in the multicenter Neonatal Seizure Registry. We compared seizure severity and treatment response among infants with complicated ICH, defined as multisite vs single-site ICH and HIE with vs without ICH. RESULTS ICH was a more common seizure etiology in infants born preterm vs term (27% vs 10%, P < .001). Most infants had subclinical seizures (74%) and an incomplete response to initial antiseizure medication (ASM) (68%). In infants born term, multisite ICH was associated with more subclinical seizures than single-site ICH (93% vs 66%, P = .05) and an incomplete response to the initial ASM (100% vs 66%, P = .02). Status epilepticus was more common in HIE with ICH vs HIE alone (38% vs 17%, P = .05). CONCLUSIONS Seizure severity was greater and treatment response was lower among infants born term with complicated ICH. These data support the use of continuous video electroencephalogram monitoring to accurately detect seizures and a multistep treatment plan that considers early use of multiple ASMs, particularly with parenchymal and high-grade intraventricular hemorrhage and complicated ICH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Herzberg
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Michelle Machie
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Hannah C Glass
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA; Department of Pediatrics, Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, CA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | - Taeun Chang
- Department of Neurology, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Nicholas S Abend
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Catherine J Chu
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - M Roberta Cilio
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Saint-Luc University Hospital, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sonia L Bonifacio
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Shavonne L Massey
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Charles E McCulloch
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Janet S Soul
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Grünebaum A, McCullough LB, Bornstein E, Lenchner E, Katz A, Spiryda LB, Klein R, Chervenak FA. Neonatal outcomes of births in freestanding birth centers and hospitals in the United States, 2016-2019. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:116.e1-116.e7. [PMID: 34217722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.06.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Births in freestanding birth centers have more than doubled between 2007 and 2019. Although birthing centers, which are defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as ". . . freestanding facilities that are not hospitals," are being promoted as offering women fewer interventions than hospitals, there are limited recent data available on neonatal outcomes in these settings. OBJECTIVE To compare several important measures of neonatal safety between 2 United States birth settings and birth attendants: deliveries in freestanding birth centers and hospital deliveries by midwives and physicians. STUDY DESIGN This is a retrospective cohort study using the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, and Division of Vital Statistics natality online database for the years 2016 to 2019. All term, singleton, low-risk births were eligible for inclusion. The study outcomes were several neonatal outcomes including neonatal death, neonatal seizures, 5-minute Apgar scores of <4 and <7, and neonatal death in nulliparous and in multiparous women. Outcomes were compared between the following 3 groups: births in freestanding birth centers, in-hospital births by a physician, and in-hospital births by a midwife. The prevalence of each neonatal outcome among the different groups was compared using Pearson chi-squared test, with the in-hospital midwife births being the reference group. Multivariate logistic regression models were performed to account for several potential confounding factors such as maternal prepregnancy body mass index, maternal weight gain, parity, gestational weeks, and neonatal birthweight and calculated as adjusted odds ratio. RESULTS The study population consisted of 9,894,978 births; 8,689,467 births (87.82%) were in-hospital births by MDs and DOs, 1,131,398 (11.43%) were in-hospital births by midwives, and 74,113 (0.75%) were births in freestanding birth centers. Freestanding birth center deliveries were less likely to be to non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic, less likely to women with public insurance, less likely to be women with their first pregnancy, and more likely to be women with advanced education and to have pregnancies at ≥40 weeks' gestation. Births in freestanding birth center had a 4-fold increase in neonatal deaths (3.64 vs 0.95 per 10,000 births: adjusted odds ratio, 4.00; 95% confidence interval, 2.62-6.1), a more than 7-fold increase in neonatal deaths for nulliparous patients (6.8 vs 0.92 per 10,000 births: adjusted odds ratio, 7.7; 95% confidence interval, 4.42-13.76), a more than 2-fold increase in neonatal seizures (3.91 vs 1.94 per 10,000 births: adjusted odds ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.48-3.22), and a more than 7-fold increase of a 5-minute Apgar score of <4 (194.84 vs 28.5 per 10,000 births: adjusted odds ratio, 7.46; 95% confidence interval, 7-7.95). Compared with hospital midwife deliveries, hospital physician deliveries had significantly higher adverse neonatal outcomes (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Births in United States freestanding birth centers are associated with an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes such as neonatal deaths, seizures, and low 5-minute Apgar scores. Therefore, when counseling women about the location of birth, it should be conveyed that births in freestanding birth centers are not among the safest birth settings for neonates compared with hospital births attended by either midwives or physicians.
Collapse
|
34
|
Sortino V, Marino S, Praticò A, Criscione R, Ruggieri M, Pisani F, Falsaperla R. Efficacy of the anti-seizure medications in acute symptomatic neonatal seizures caused by stroke. A systematic review. Acta Biomed 2022; 93:e2022328. [PMID: 36533757 PMCID: PMC9828920 DOI: 10.23750/abm.v93i6.13440] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Neonatal stroke is the second cause of acute symptomatic neonatal seizures after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The aim of this systematic review is to determine which drug among those available represents the best therapeutic choice for treatment of secondary seizures due to neonatal stroke. METHODS We performed a systematic review searching on PubMed the keywords "Neonatal", "Stroke", "Seizures" and "Treatment". Search was limited only to English language with no time limit. Last literature search was done on May 30, 2022. RESULTS We selected 5 articles involving a total of 52 full-term neonates. In 96.1% the first line treatment was phenobarbital and in 3.9% was used phenobarbital associated with midazolam from the seizure onset but in all of these cases it was necessary to introduce further medications for controlling the seizures. As second line treatment was used lidocaine (response rate of 53.3%), midazolam (response rate of 15.38%) bumetanide (response rate of 100%), and fosphenytoin (no response). As third line treatment was used lidocaine (response rate of 87.5%), Midazolam (response rate of 60%), levetiracetam and clonazepam (response rate of 100%). CONCLUSIONS Our review shows that the use of ASMs that act throughout a gabaergic mechanism are inadequate in controlling seizures secondary to neonatal stroke in full-term newborns. Very effective seems to be lidocaine and levetiracetam with an apparent safer profile in short and long term. Bumetanide shows promising results, but they need to be confirmed by phase 3 studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Sortino
- Postgraduate Training Program in Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Silvia Marino
- Unit of Clinical Paediatrics, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico, “Rodolico-San Marco”, San Marco Hospital, Catania, Italy
| | - Andrea Praticò
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, AOU “Policlinico”, PO “G. Rodolico”, Catania, Italy
| | - Roberta Criscione
- Postgraduate Training Program in Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Martino Ruggieri
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, AOU “Policlinico”, PO “G. Rodolico”, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Pisani
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Roma, Italy
| | - Raffaele Falsaperla
- Unit of Clinical Paediatrics, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico, “Rodolico-San Marco”, San Marco Hospital, Catania, Italy, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Accompaniment Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “Rodolico-San Marco”, San Marco Hospital, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Nissenkorn A, Kornilov P, Peretz A, Blumkin L, Heimer G, Ben-Zeev B, Attali B. Personalized treatment with retigabine for pharmacoresistant epilepsy arising from a pathogenic variant in the KCNQ2 selectivity filter. Epileptic Disord 2021; 23:695-705. [PMID: 34519644 DOI: 10.1684/epd.2021.1315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the KCNQ2 gene, encoding the voltage-gated potassium channel, Kv7.2, cause neonatal epilepsies. The potassium channel opener, retigabine, may improve epilepsy control in cases with loss-of-function mutations, but exacerbate seizures in cases with gain-of-function mutations. Our aim was to describe a patient with a KCNQ2 mutation within the K+-selectivity filter and illustrate how electrophysiological analysis helped us to implement personalized treatment. Medical history of a patient with severe neonatal epileptic encephalopathy was recorded. Diagnosis was reached by whole-exome-sequencing. The pathogenic variant was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, and patch-clamp studies were performed, directing therapy. A seven-year-old male presented with neonatal seizures, progressing to hundreds of seizures/day without developmental milestones. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic variant, p.Gly281Arg, in the KCNQ2 gene, located within the ion selectivity filter of the pore, predicted to cause loss-of-function of Kv7.2, not affected by retigabine. Patch-clamp analysis revealed no current with the mutant homomer and reduced current with heterotetramer (KCNQ2WT/KCNQ2G281R/KCNQ3WT) channels, consistent with a dominant-negative effect. Addition of 5 μM retigabine did not produce a current with the mutant homomer, but increased current with the heterotetramer (V50: -30.4 mV vs. -51.3 mV). Following these results, retigabine at 15 mg/kg was administered off-label, prompting a 90% seizure reduction. Drug withdrawal, imposed by revocation of marketing authorisation for retigabine, caused 50% increase in seizure burden. Retigabine may be used for precision therapy in patients with KCNQ2-related epilepsy due to loss-of-function variants. It is imperative to reintroduce safe marketing of retigabine for selected patients as personalized treatment.
Collapse
|
36
|
Haffner DN, Machie M, Hone E, Said RR, Maitre NL. Predictors of Neurodevelopmental Impairment After Neonatal Bacterial Meningitis. J Child Neurol 2021; 36:968-973. [PMID: 34256644 DOI: 10.1177/08830738211026053] [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] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal bacterial meningitis has high rates of morbidity and mortality. Early clinical signs and neuroimaging suggest adverse outcomes, but little is known about their combined predictive properties. We evaluated the combination of findings most associated with death and neurodevelopmental impairment. METHODS Single-center retrospective cohort study of term and late preterm neonates with bacterial meningitis. Predictors of death and neurodevelopmental impairment were identified on univariate analysis and incorporated into Lasso models to identify variables best predicting adverse outcomes. RESULTS Of 103 neonates, 6 died acutely; 30% of survivors had neurodevelopmental impairment. Clinical variables (seizures, pressor support) predicted death and neurodevelopmental impairment better than the neuroimaging or combined findings (area under the curve 0.88 vs 0.79 and 0.83, respectively). Among survivors, neuroimaging findings (cerebrovascular lesions, ventriculomegaly) predicted neurodevelopmental impairment better than clinical or combined findings (area under the curve 0.82 vs 0.80 and 0.77, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Seizures are important predictors of adverse outcomes in neonatal bacterial meningitis. Among survivors, neuroimaging findings help predict neurodevelopmental impairment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darrah N Haffner
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.,Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School/Children's Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Michelle Machie
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School/Children's Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Emily Hone
- Biostatistics Core, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rana R Said
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School/Children's Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Nathalie L Maitre
- Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.,Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Spoto G, Saia MC, Amore G, Gitto E, Loddo G, Mainieri G, Nicotera AG, Di Rosa G. Neonatal Seizures: An Overview of Genetic Causes and Treatment Options. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11101295. [PMID: 34679360 PMCID: PMC8534058 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Seizures are the most frequent neurological clinical symptoms of the central nervous system (CNS) during the neonatal period. Neonatal seizures may be ascribed to an acute event or symptomatic conditions determined by genetic, metabolic or structural causes, outlining the so-called 'Neonatal Epilepsies'. To date, three main groups of neonatal epilepsies are recognised during the neonatal period: benign familial neonatal epilepsy (BFNE), early myoclonic encephalopathy (EME) and 'Ohtahara syndrome' (OS). Recent advances showed the role of several genes in the pathogenesis of these conditions, such as KCNQ2, KCNQ3, ARX, STXBP1, SLC25A22, CDKL5, KCNT1, SCN2A and SCN8A. Herein, we reviewed the current knowledge regarding the pathogenic variants most frequently associated with neonatal seizures, which should be considered when approaching newborns affected by these disorders. In addition, we considered the new possible therapeutic strategies reported in these conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Spoto
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (G.S.); (M.C.S.); (G.A.); (G.D.R.)
| | - Maria Concetta Saia
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (G.S.); (M.C.S.); (G.A.); (G.D.R.)
| | - Greta Amore
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (G.S.); (M.C.S.); (G.A.); (G.D.R.)
| | - Eloisa Gitto
- Unit of Neonatal Intensive Care, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;
| | | | - Greta Mainieri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Antonio Gennaro Nicotera
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (G.S.); (M.C.S.); (G.A.); (G.D.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-090-221-2911
| | - Gabriella Di Rosa
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (G.S.); (M.C.S.); (G.A.); (G.D.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Frassineti L, Lanatà A, Olmi B, Manfredi C. Multiscale Entropy Analysis of Heart Rate Variability in Neonatal Patients with and without Seizures. Bioengineering (Basel) 2021; 8:122. [PMID: 34562944 PMCID: PMC8469929 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering8090122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex physiological dynamics of neonatal seizures make their detection challenging. A timely diagnosis and treatment, especially in intensive care units, are essential for a better prognosis and the mitigation of possible adverse effects on the newborn's neurodevelopment. In the literature, several electroencephalographic (EEG) studies have been proposed for a parametric characterization of seizures or their detection by artificial intelligence techniques. At the same time, other sources than EEG, such as electrocardiography, have been investigated to evaluate the possible impact of neonatal seizures on the cardio-regulatory system. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is attracting great interest as a valuable tool in newborns applications, especially where EEG technologies are not easily available. This study investigated whether multiscale HRV entropy indexes could detect abnormal heart rate dynamics in newborns with seizures, especially during ictal events. Furthermore, entropy measures were analyzed to discriminate between newborns with seizures and seizure-free ones. A cohort of 52 patients (33 with seizures) from the Helsinki University Hospital public dataset has been evaluated. Multiscale sample and fuzzy entropy showed significant differences between the two groups (p-value < 0.05, Bonferroni multiple-comparison post hoc correction). Moreover, interictal activity showed significant differences between seizure and seizure-free patients (Mann-Whitney Test: p-value < 0.05). Therefore, our findings suggest that HRV multiscale entropy analysis could be a valuable pre-screening tool for the timely detection of seizure events in newborns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Frassineti
- Department of Information Engineering, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy; (A.L.); (B.O.); (C.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Università di Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Antonio Lanatà
- Department of Information Engineering, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy; (A.L.); (B.O.); (C.M.)
| | - Benedetta Olmi
- Department of Information Engineering, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy; (A.L.); (B.O.); (C.M.)
| | - Claudia Manfredi
- Department of Information Engineering, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy; (A.L.); (B.O.); (C.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Shellhaas RA, Wusthoff CJ, Numis AL, Chu CJ, Massey SL, Abend NS, Soul JS, Chang T, Lemmon ME, Thomas C, McNamara NA, Guillet R, Franck LS, Sturza J, McCulloch CE, Glass HC. Early-life epilepsy after acute symptomatic neonatal seizures: A prospective multicenter study. Epilepsia 2021; 62:1871-1882. [PMID: 34212365 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate early-life epilepsy incidence, seizure types, severity, risk factors, and treatments among survivors of acute neonatal seizures. METHODS Neonates with acute symptomatic seizures born 7/2015-3/2018 were prospectively enrolled at nine Neonatal Seizure Registry sites. One-hour EEG was recorded at age three months. Post-neonatal epilepsy and functional development (Warner Initial Developmental Evaluation of Adaptive and Functional Skills - WIDEA-FS) were assessed. Cox regression was used to assess epilepsy-free survival. RESULTS Among 282 infants, 37 (13%) had post-neonatal epilepsy by 24-months [median age of onset 7-months (IQR 3-14)]. Among those with post-neonatal epilepsy, 13/37 (35%) had infantile spasms and 12/37 (32%) had drug-resistant epilepsy. Most children with post-neonatal epilepsy had abnormal neurodevelopment at 24-months (WIDEA-FS >2SD below normal population mean for 81% of children with epilepsy vs 27% without epilepsy, RR 7.9, 95% CI 3.6-17.3). Infants with severely abnormal neonatal EEG background patterns were more likely to develop epilepsy than those with mild/moderate abnormalities (HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.9-5.9). Neonatal EEG with ≥3 days of seizures also predicted hazard of epilepsy (HR 2.9, 95% CI 1.4-5.9). In an adjusted model, days of neonatal EEG-confirmed seizures (HR 1.4 per day, 95% CI 1.2-1.6) and abnormal discharge examination (HR 3.9, 95% CI 1.9-7.8) were independently associated with time to epilepsy onset. Abnormal (vs. normal) three-month EEG was not associated with epilepsy. SIGNIFICANCE In this multicenter study, only 13% of infants with acute symptomatic neonatal seizures developed post-neonatal epilepsy by age 24-months. However, there was a high risk of severe neurodevelopmental impairment and drug-resistant seizures among children with post-neonatal epilepsy. Days of EEG-confirmed neonatal seizures was a potentially modifiable epilepsy risk factor. An EEG at three months was not clinically useful for predicting epilepsy. These practice changing findings have implications for family counseling, clinical follow-up planning, and future research to prevent post-neonatal epilepsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renée A Shellhaas
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Courtney J Wusthoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Adam L Numis
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Catherine J Chu
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shavonne L Massey
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas S Abend
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Departments of Anesthesia & Critical Care Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Janet S Soul
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Taeun Chang
- Department of Neurology, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Monica E Lemmon
- Departments of Pediatrics and Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Cameron Thomas
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nancy A McNamara
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ronnie Guillet
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Golisano Children's Hospital, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Linda S Franck
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Julie Sturza
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Charles E McCulloch
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hannah C Glass
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Doandes FM, Manea AM, Lungu N, Cioboata D, Brandibur T, Costescu O, Hudisteanu A, Boia ER, Boia M. Clinical, biological and electroencephalographic monitoring of newborns with neurological risk in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:760. [PMID: 34035857 PMCID: PMC8135117 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) require increased attention regarding neurological assessment and monitoring, due to immaturity or certain conditions that occur during the perinatal and neonatal period. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) following perinatal asphyxia is one of the most studied clinical conditions due to the risk of medium- and long-term neurobehavioral outcome. We studied 43 newborns with HIE, for all 3 degrees of impairment, performed amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) in the first hours of life and collected common laboratory tests, following serum glycemia at admission and creatinine, creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at admission and in the 3rd day of life. Newborns with mild HIE presented normal aEEG pattern and slightly elevated CK. A total of 80.9% of the newborns with moderate HIE had seizure patterns in aEEG, while among those with severe HIE, 71.4% had seizure patterns in aEEG and 28.5% burst suppression. CK and LDH were mean elevated in those with moderate HIE, and the newborns with severe HIE had also high creatinine values at admission and in the 3rd day of life. Statistically significant differences between the 3 degrees of HIE were noted in terms of creatinine (P=0.009) and CK (P=0.008) at admission and LDH in the 3rd day of life (P=0.036). Hypoglycemia was common in our study group. In conclusion, common blood tests in association with aEEG monitoring and rigorous neurological assessment can predict short-term outcome of HIE and multiorgan dysfunction and can help clinicians predict even long-term outcomes in severe HIE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florina Marinela Doandes
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Aniko-Maria Manea
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Nicoleta Lungu
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Daniela Cioboata
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Timea Brandibur
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Oana Costescu
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Anca Hudisteanu
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Eugen Radu Boia
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Marioara Boia
- Neonatology and Puericulture Department, ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Neonatology and Preterm Department, ‘Louis Ţurcanu’ Children Emergency Hospital, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Pospelov AS, Ala-Kurikka T, Kurki S, Voipio J, Kaila K. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors suppress seizures in a rat model of birth asphyxia. Epilepsia 2021; 62:1971-1984. [PMID: 34180051 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Seizures are common in neonates recovering from birth asphyxia but there is general consensus that current pharmacotherapy is suboptimal and that novel antiseizure drugs are needed. We recently showed in a rat model of birth asphyxia that seizures are triggered by the post-asphyxia recovery of brain pH. Here our aim was to investigate whether carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs), which induce systemic acidosis, block the post-asphyxia seizures. METHODS The CAIs acetazolamide (AZA), benzolamide (BZA), and ethoxzolamide (EZA) were administered intraperitoneally or intravenously to 11-day-old rats exposed to intermittent asphyxia (30 min; three 7+3 min cycles of 9% and 5% O2 at 20% CO2 ). Electrode measurements of intracortical pH, Po2 , and local field potentials (LFPs) were made under urethane anesthesia. Convulsive seizures and blood acid-base parameters were examined in freely behaving animals. RESULTS The three CAIs decreased brain pH by 0.14-0.17 pH units and suppressed electrographic post-asphyxia seizures. AZA, BZA, and EZA differ greatly in their lipid solubility (EZA > AZA > BZA) and pharmacokinetics. However, there were only minor differences in the delay (range 0.8-3.7 min) from intraperitoneal application to their action on brain pH. The CAIs induced a modest post-asphyxia elevation of brain Po2 that had no effect on LFP activity. AZA was tested in freely behaving rats, in which it induced a respiratory acidosis and decreased the incidence of convulsive seizures from 9 of 20 to 2 of 17 animals. SIGNIFICANCE AZA, BZA, and EZA effectively block post-asphyxia seizures. Despite the differences in their pharmacokinetics, they had similar effects on brain pH, which indicates that their antiseizure mode of action was based on respiratory (hypercapnic) acidosis resulting from inhibition of blood-borne and extracellular vascular carbonic anhydrases. AZA has been used for several indications in neonates, suggesting that it can be safely repurposed for the treatment of neonatal seizures as an add-on to the current treatment regimen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey S Pospelov
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tommi Ala-Kurikka
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Samu Kurki
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Voipio
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kai Kaila
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Roth J, Constantini S, Ekstein M, Weiner HL, Tripathi M, Chandra PS, Cossu M, Rizzi M, Bollo RJ, Machado HR, Santos MV, Keating RF, Oluigbo CO, Rutka JT, Drake JM, Jallo GI, Shimony N, Treiber JM, Consales A, Mangano FT, Wisoff JH, Teresa Hidalgo E, Bingaman WE, Gupta A, Erdemir G, Sundar SJ, Benifla M, Shapira V, Lam SK, Fallah A, Maniquis CAB, Tisdall M, Chari A, Cinalli G, Blount JP, Dorfmüller G, Christine Bulteau, Uliel-Sibony S. Epilepsy surgery in infants up to 3 months of age: Safety, feasibility, and outcomes: A multicenter, multinational study. Epilepsia 2021; 62:1897-1906. [PMID: 34128544 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) during the first few months of life is challenging and necessitates aggressive treatment, including surgery. Because the most common causes of DRE in infancy are related to extensive developmental anomalies, surgery often entails extensive tissue resections or disconnection. The literature on "ultra-early" epilepsy surgery is sparse, with limited data concerning efficacy controlling the seizures, and safety. The current study's goal is to review the safety and efficacy of ultra-early epilepsy surgery performed before the age of 3 months. METHODS To achieve a large sample size and external validity, a multinational, multicenter retrospective study was performed, focusing on epilepsy surgery for infants younger than 3 months of age. Collected data included epilepsy characteristics, surgical details, epilepsy outcome, and complications. RESULTS Sixty-four patients underwent 69 surgeries before the age of 3 months. The most common pathologies were cortical dysplasia (28), hemimegalencephaly (17), and tubers (5). The most common procedures were hemispheric surgeries (48 procedures). Two cases were intentionally staged, and one was unexpectedly aborted. Nearly all patients received blood products. There were no perioperative deaths and no major unexpected permanent morbidities. Twenty-five percent of patients undergoing hemispheric surgeries developed hydrocephalus. Excellent epilepsy outcome (International League Against Epilepsy [ILAE] grade I) was achieved in 66% of cases over a median follow-up of 41 months (19-104 interquartile range [IQR]). The number of antiseizure medications was significantly reduced (median 2 drugs, 1-3 IQR, p < .0001). Outcome was not significantly associated with the type of surgery (hemispheric or more limited resections). SIGNIFICANCE Epilepsy surgery during the first few months of life is associated with excellent seizure control, and when performed by highly experienced teams, is not associated with more permanent morbidity than surgery in older infants. Thus surgical treatment should not be postponed to treat DRE in very young infants based on their age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Roth
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Dana Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shlomi Constantini
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Dana Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Margaret Ekstein
- Pediatric Anesthesia Unit, Department of Anesthesia, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Howard L Weiner
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Manjari Tripathi
- Center of Excellence for Epilepsy and MEG, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Massimo Cossu
- "C. Munari" Centre for Epilepsy Surgery, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Rizzi
- "C. Munari" Centre for Epilepsy Surgery, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Robert J Bollo
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Hélio Rubens Machado
- Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Volpon Santos
- Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Robert F Keating
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Chima O Oluigbo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - James T Rutka
- Department of Surgery, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - James M Drake
- Department of Surgery, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - George I Jallo
- Institute for Brain Protection Sciences, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nir Shimony
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Treiber
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alessandro Consales
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, IRRCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco T Mangano
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Wisoff
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eveline Teresa Hidalgo
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - William E Bingaman
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ajay Gupta
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Gozde Erdemir
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Swetha J Sundar
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mony Benifla
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Department, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Vladimir Shapira
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Department, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sandi K Lam
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ann and Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Aria Fallah
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cassia A B Maniquis
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Martin Tisdall
- Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital & Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aswin Chari
- Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital & Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Giuseppe Cinalli
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Jeffrey P Blount
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, Al, USA
| | - Georg Dorfmüller
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Christine Bulteau
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France.,MC2Lab, University of Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Shimrit Uliel-Sibony
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Dana Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Lambicchi L, Ornaghi S, Dal Molin G, Paterlini G, Bernasconi DP, Moltrasio F, Vergani P. Different antecedents and neonatal condition in neonatal arterial ischemic stroke and hypoxic-ischemic neonatal encephalopathy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2021; 157:333-339. [PMID: 34101180 PMCID: PMC9290624 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.13781] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Objective To define similarities and differences between neonatal arterial ischemic stroke (NAIS) and hypoxic‐ischemic neonatal encephalopathy (HINE). Methods A retrospective case‐control study was conducted of neonates born at 35 weeks or more and weighing 1800 g or more at a tertiary care university hospital, between 2005 and 2016, with NAIS (group A), perinatal asphyxia (PA) with Stage II–III HINE (group B), and PA with or without Stage I HINE (group C). Ante‐ and intrapartum data, neonatal characteristics, and placental histopathology were compared. Results Eleven neonates were identified in group A, 10 in group B, and 227 in group C. Sentinel events occurred exclusively in groups B (80%) and C (41.4%). Umbilical cord blood gas values and Apgar score were worse in groups B and C compared to group A. No group A neonates required resuscitation at birth, whereas all group B and one‐third of group C neonates did. Seizures developed only in neonates in groups A and B. One neonatal death occurred in group A. There were no significant differences in placental histopathology. Conclusion NAIS and PA/HINE cases have different intrapartum and neonatal features. PA does not seem necessary for the occurrence of NAIS. More research is needed regarding associated placental abnormalities. Birth asphyxia does not seem necessary for neonatal arterial ischemic stroke occurrence. The two conditions have different ante‐/intrapartum and neonatal features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lambicchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MBBM Foundation, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Sara Ornaghi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MBBM Foundation, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Giulia Dal Molin
- University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Macedonio Melloni Hospital, University of Milan School of Medicine and Surgery, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Paterlini
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Neonatology, MBBM Foundation, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.,Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Mother and Child Health, Fondazione Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide P Bernasconi
- Bicocca Bioinformatics Biostatistics and Bioimaging Centre - B4, University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Francesca Moltrasio
- Department of Pathology, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Patrizia Vergani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MBBM Foundation, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Neonatal seizures are significant cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Current study was planned to study prevalence of adverse outcomes in neonatal seizures and identify its predictors. METHODS This observational descriptive study was carried out on 220 neonates with seizures. Neonates who succumbed to illness/ death before investigations, or whose maternal records were incomplete were excluded. Blood sugar, serum calcium, serum electrolytes, and USG skull were done in all patients. CT scan, MRI and inborn errors of metabolism profile were done as and when indicated. Adverse outcomes were defined as death, phenobarbitone non responders, or abnormal examination at discharge. Antenatal, perinatal and neonatal predictors of adverse outcomes in neonatal seizures were evaluated. RESULTS Out of 220 neonates with seizures 76(34.5%) had adverse outcomes. Very low birth weight babies (≤1500 gm) [OR 1.27(CI 0.57-2.84)], microcephaly [OR 5.93 (CI 0.55-64.41)], Apgar score≤3 at 5 minutes [OR 11.28(CI 14.18-30.45)], seizure onset within 24 hours [OR 5.99(CI 12.43-14.78)], meningitis [OR 2.63(CI 0.08-6.39)], septicemia [OR1.22(CI 0.45-3.31)] and abnormal cranial USG [OR 7.95(CI 12.61-24.22)] were significant predictors of adverse outcomes in neonates with seizures. CONCLUSION Prematurity, very low birth weight, birth asphyxia, meningitis, septicemia and abnormal USG could predict adverse outcomes in neonatal seizures. Improved antenatal and neonatal clinical practices may help reduce adverse outcomes in these patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Famra
- Department of Paediatrics, University College of Medical sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India
| | - P Batra
- Department of Paediatrics, University College of Medical sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India
| | - A Aggarwal
- Department of Paediatrics, University College of Medical sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India
| | - B D Banerjee
- Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Pillay-Fuentes Lorente V, Bekker A, Kali GTJ, Lloyd LG, Van der Merwe AW, Abulfathi AA, Decloedt EH. The Pharmacokinetics of Crushed Levetiracetam Tablets Administered to Neonates. J Trop Pediatr 2021; 67:6296315. [PMID: 34114632 DOI: 10.1093/tropej/fmab041] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intravenous phenobarbital remains the first-line therapy in the management of neonatal seizures. Shortages of intravenous phenobarbital in South Africa necessitated the addition of oral levetiracetam as part of management of neonatal seizures. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the pharmacokinetics of crushed immediate-release levetiracetam tablets administered to neonates to terminate seizures. METHODS A prospective, observational study of neonates admitted with seizures to Tygerberg Hospital. Participants received crushed levetiracetam (diluted in saline) given orally or via naso-/orogastric tube. At steady-state, pharmacokinetic sampling was performed at pre-dose, 1.5, 2.5 and 4 h post-dose. Maximum concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (Tmax), trough concentrations (Ctrough) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-12) were calculated using non-compartmental analysis. Seizure termination and safety profiles were documented. RESULTS Nineteen participants were grouped into three dosing ranges: (i) 5-15 mg/kg/12-hourly, (ii) 15-25 mg/kg/12-hourly and (iii) 25-35 mg/kg/12-hourly. Range 1 demonstrated AUC0-12 167.0 ± 45.6 h*μg/mL, Cmax 19.19 ± 4.12 μg/mL and Ctrough 9.99 ± 3.86 µg/mL. Range 2, AUC0-12 316.5 ± 108.4 h*μg/mL, Cmax 35.12 ± 10.54 µg/mL and Ctrough 19.25 ± 8.48 µg/mL. Range 3, AUC0-12 290.9 (range 176.14-405.59) h*μg/mL, Cmax 36.11 (range 27.58-44.64) µg/mL and Ctrough 13.03 (2.98-23.07) µg/mL. Seizures terminated in 17/19 (90%) neonates by day 3 and 19/19 (100%) by day 4 post-levetiracetam initiation. CONCLUSION Crushed levetiracetam has comparable pharmacokinetics to historical data. No pharmacokinetic differences were observed between oral vs. naso-/orogastric administration. Crushed levetiracetam tablets can be considered for neonates in low-resource settings where intravenous and syrup access is limited. LAY SUMMARY Intravenous preparations of antiepileptic medications are used in the management of neonatal seizures. Various established standard of care intravenous antiepileptic medicines are unavailable nationally and internationally due to reasons outside our control. This stock shortage included intravenous phenobarbitone which is the first-line treatment for paediatric seizures. Due to phenobarbital shortage, levetiracetam has been identified by the neonatologists at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, as a suitable treatment option due to its efficacy and safety profile. However, intravenous levetiracetam and oral syrup is not registered in South Africa. Levetiracetam tablets are being crushed, dissolved and administered to neonates. There are no data available on the absorption of crushed levetiracetam tablets administered to neonates via a nasogastric tube. This study characterized the pharmacokinetic profile of crushed levetiracetam administered to neonates. We selected neonates receiving levetiracetam from the neonatal wards at Tygerberg hospital and drew blood to analyse the levetiracetam concentrations at 4 different time points. We found that the overall exposure of crushed levetiracetam tablets were comparable to the exposures achieved in historical data of the unaltered formulations. We concluded that crushed levetiracetam tablets can be considered for neonates in low resource settings where intravenous and syrup access is limited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veshni Pillay-Fuentes Lorente
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Adrie Bekker
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Gugu T J Kali
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Lizel G Lloyd
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Alma W Van der Merwe
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Ahmed A Abulfathi
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri 600004, Nigeria
| | - Eric H Decloedt
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Ala‐Kurikka T, Pospelov A, Summanen M, Alafuzoff A, Kurki S, Voipio J, Kaila K. A physiologically validated rat model of term birth asphyxia with seizure generation after, not during, brain hypoxia. Epilepsia 2021; 62:908-919. [PMID: 33338272 PMCID: PMC8246723 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Birth asphyxia (BA) is often associated with seizures that may exacerbate the ensuing hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. In rodent models of BA, exposure to hypoxia is used to evoke seizures, that commence already during the insult. This is in stark contrast to clinical BA, in which seizures are typically seen upon recovery. Here, we introduce a term-equivalent rat model of BA, in which seizures are triggered after exposure to asphyxia. METHODS Postnatal day 11-12 male rat pups were exposed to steady asphyxia (15 min; air containing 5% O2 + 20% CO2 ) or to intermittent asphyxia (30 min; three 5 + 5-min cycles of 9% and 5% O2 at 20% CO2 ). Cortical activity and electrographic seizures were recorded in freely behaving animals. Simultaneous electrode measurements of intracortical pH, Po2 , and local field potentials (LFPs) were made under urethane anesthesia. RESULTS Both protocols decreased blood pH to <7.0 and brain pH from 7.3 to 6.7 and led to a fall in base excess by 20 mmol·L-1 . Electrographic seizures with convulsions spanning the entire Racine scale were triggered after intermittent but not steady asphyxia. In the presence of 20% CO2 , brain Po2 was only transiently affected by 9% ambient O2 but fell below detection level during the steps to 5% O2 , and LFP activity was nearly abolished. Post-asphyxia seizures were strongly suppressed when brain pH recovery was slowed down by 5% CO2 . SIGNIFICANCE The rate of brain pH recovery has a strong influence on post-asphyxia seizure propensity. The recurring hypoxic episodes during intermittent asphyxia promote neuronal excitability, which leads to seizures only after the suppressing effect of the hypercapnic acidosis is relieved. The present rodent model of BA is to our best knowledge the first one in which, consistent with clinical BA, behavioral and electrographic seizures are triggered after and not during the BA-mimicking insult.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tommi Ala‐Kurikka
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Alexey Pospelov
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Milla Summanen
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Aleksander Alafuzoff
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Samu Kurki
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Juha Voipio
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Kai Kaila
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Benninger KL, Benninger TL, Moore-Clingenpeel M, Ruess L, Rusin JA, Maitre NL. Deep Medullary Vein White Matter Injury Global Severity Score Predicts Neurodevelopmental Impairment. J Child Neurol 2021; 36:253-261. [PMID: 33522373 PMCID: PMC7874519 DOI: 10.1177/0883073820967161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
AIM To examine associations between the deep medullary vein white matter injury global severity scoring system and neurodevelopmental impairment. METHODS This is a prospective observational cohort study of infants born at ≥32 weeks, diagnosed with deep medullary vein thrombosis and infarction on neuroimaging in the first month of life. Developmental testing was performed using validated measures for early, preschool, and school-age follow-up. RESULTS Nineteen (37%) patients had major neurodevelopmental impairment. Global severity score was higher among patients with neurodevelopmental impairment (21.6 vs 13.4, P = .04). Overall, 78% of patients with epilepsy had neurodevelopmental impairment. A greater degree of asymmetry with right-sided injury predominance was associated with lower Bayley-III cognitive scores and presence of neurodevelopmental impairment (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest a need for targeted clinical surveillance for patients with a high global severity score and/or asymmetric, predominantly right cerebral white matter injury and for those who develop epilepsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L. Benninger
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH,Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH
| | | | - Melissa Moore-Clingenpeel
- Biostatistics Core, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH
| | - Lynne Ruess
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH
| | - Jerome A. Rusin
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH
| | - Nathalie L. Maitre
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH,Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Kaminiów K, Kozak S, Paprocka J. Neonatal Seizures Revisited. Children (Basel) 2021; 8:children8020155. [PMID: 33670692 PMCID: PMC7922511 DOI: 10.3390/children8020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Seizures are the most common neurological disorder in newborns and are most prevalent in the neonatal period. They are mostly caused by severe disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). However, they can also be a sign of the immaturity of the infant’s brain, which is characterized by the presence of specific factors that increase excitation and reduce inhibition. The most common disorders which result in acute brain damage and can manifest as seizures in neonates include hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, infections of the CNS as well as electrolyte and biochemical disturbances. The therapeutic management of neonates and the prognosis are different depending on the etiology of the disorders that cause seizures which can lead to death or disability. Therefore, establishing a prompt diagnosis and implementing appropriate treatment are significant, as they can limit adverse long-term effects and improve outcomes. In this review paper, we present the latest reports on the etiology, pathomechanism, clinical symptoms and guidelines for the management of neonates with acute symptomatic seizures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Kaminiów
- Students’ Scientific Society, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Sylwia Kozak
- Students’ Scientific Society, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Justyna Paprocka
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Pressler RM, Cilio MR, Mizrahi EM, Moshé SL, Nunes ML, Plouin P, Vanhatalo S, Yozawitz E, de Vries LS, Puthenveettil Vinayan K, Triki CC, Wilmshurst JM, Yamamoto H, Zuberi SM. The ILAE classification of seizures and the epilepsies: Modification for seizures in the neonate. Position paper by the ILAE Task Force on Neonatal Seizures. Epilepsia 2021; 62:615-628. [PMID: 33522601 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.7] [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: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Seizures are the most common neurological emergency in the neonatal period and in contrast to those in infancy and childhood, are often provoked seizures with an acute cause and may be electrographic-only. Hence, neonatal seizures may not fit easily into classification schemes for seizures and epilepsies primarily developed for older children and adults. A Neonatal Seizures Task Force was established by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) to develop a modification of the 2017 ILAE Classification of Seizures and Epilepsies, relevant to neonates. The neonatal classification framework emphasizes the role of electroencephalography (EEG) in the diagnosis of seizures in the neonate and includes a classification of seizure types relevant to this age group. The seizure type is determined by the predominant clinical feature. Many neonatal seizures are electrographic-only with no evident clinical features; therefore, these are included in the proposed classification. Clinical events without an EEG correlate are not included. Because seizures in the neonatal period have been shown to have a focal onset, a division into focal and generalized is unnecessary. Seizures can have a motor (automatisms, clonic, epileptic spasms, myoclonic, tonic), non-motor (autonomic, behavior arrest), or sequential presentation. The classification allows the user to choose the level of detail when classifying seizures in this age group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ronit M 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, London, UK
| | - Maria Roberta Cilio
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Institute for Experimental and Clinical Research, Saint-Luc University Hospital, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eli M Mizrahi
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Solomon L Moshé
- Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Magda L Nunes
- Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul - PUCRS School of Medicine and the Brain Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Perrine Plouin
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Hospital Necker Enfant Malades, Paris, France
| | - Sampsa Vanhatalo
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology and BABA center Children's Hospital, HUS Imaging, Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elissa Yozawitz
- Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Linda S de Vries
- Department of Neonatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Chahnez C Triki
- Department of Child Neurology, Hedi Chaker Hospital, LR19ES15 Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Hitoshi Yamamoto
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Sameer M Zuberi
- Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children & Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
Currently used treatment protocols for neonatal seizures vary among centers with limited evidence to support the choice of a given antiseizure medication. Because of concerns about the potential negative impact of phenobarbital on long-term neurodevelopment outcomes, our unit transitioned to fosphenytoin as the first-line antiseizure medication. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted to compare the acute and long-term outcomes of fosphenytoin and phenobarbital as first-line antiseizure medication for neonatal seizure treatment. The 2 study groups had similar baseline characteristics for neonatal variables as well as maternal antenatal complications. We did not find any differences in the acute outcomes between the 2 groups. However, significantly fewer infants in the fosphenytoin group had moderate-to-severe neurodevelopmental delay at the 18- and 24-month assessments. In conclusion, although both medications were equally efficacious for acute neonatal seizure control, fosphenytoin had the potential for significantly better neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-24 months of age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Alix
- Department of Pediatrics, Baystate Children's Hospital, UMMS-Baystate, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Mansi James
- Department of Pediatrics, Baystate Children's Hospital, UMMS-Baystate, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Anthony H Jackson
- Department of Pediatrics, Baystate Children's Hospital, UMMS-Baystate, Springfield, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, UMMS-Baystate, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Paul F Visintainer
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Office of Research, UMMS-Baystate, Springfield, MA, USA
| | - Rachana Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, Baystate Children's Hospital, UMMS-Baystate, Springfield, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|