Immunoglobulin treatment in human and experimental epilepsy

Modulation of Immunity and the Inflammatory Response: A New Target for Treating Drug-resistant Epilepsy

Until recently, epilepsy medical therapy is usually limited to anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). However, approximately 1/3 of epilepsy patients, described as drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) patients, still suffer from continuous frequent seizures despite receiving adequate AEDs treatment of sufficient duration. More recently, with the remarkable progress of immunology, immunity and inflammation are considered to be key elements of the pathobiology of epilepsy. Activation of inflammatory processes in brain tissue has been observed in both experimental seizure animal models and epilepsy patients. Anti-inflammatory and immunotherapies also showed significant anticonvulsant properties both in clinical and in experimental settings. The above emerging evidence indicates that modulation of immunity and inflammatory processes could serve as novel specific targets to achieve potential anticonvulsant effects for the patients with epilepsy, especially DRE. Herein we review the recent evidence supporting the role of inflammation in the development and perpetuation of seizures, and also discuss the recent achievements in modulation of inflammation and immunotherapy applied to the treatment of epilepsy. Apart from medical therapy, we also discuss the influences of surgery, ketogenic diet, and electroconvulsive therapy on immunity and inflammation in DRE patients. Taken together, a promising perspective is suggested for future immunomodulatory therapies in the treatment of patients with DRE.

Prednisone therapy in pediatric epilepsy

Steroids are often an effective treatment for the West's syndrome. There have been few reports of steroid use in children with epilepsy outside the first year of life. I report my experience with prednisone for the treatment of older children with intractable epilepsy. Twenty-eight children (17 boys, 11 girls) aged 18 months to 10 years with intractable epilepsy were studied. Prednisone 1 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks (6 weeks daily and 6 weeks alternate therapy) was prescribed in addition to their regular antiepileptic medications. The parents kept seizure diaries, and the patients were regularly assessed for seizure frequency and side effects. The follow-up period was for 1 to 5 years. Thirteen patients (46%) became seizure free on prednisone and another 18 (40%) had a significant decrease in seizure frequency. Five patients (19%) had no change in seizure frequency. The best outcomes were seen in the absence group in which six out of seven patients became seizure free and in the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome group in which seven out of 10 became seizure free. Side effects were uncommon and included weight gain in five patients and aggression in four patients. Prednisone therapy is a safe and effective adjunctive treatment for epilepsy. It should be considered as an alternative treatment for older children with intractable generalized epilepsy who have failed conventional antiepileptic therapy.