The PURPLE N study: objective and perceived nutritional status in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

PURPOSE

To obtain information on characteristics, management, current objective nutritional status and perception of nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy (CP) from healthcare professionals (HCPs) and caregivers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A detailed survey of several items on eight main topics (general characteristics, motor function, comorbidities, therapies, anthropometry, feeding mode and problems and perceived nutritional status) was developed and tested for the study. Correlation between nutritional status and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels was assessed using continuous variables (Z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-for-height, and body mass index-for-age), and categorical variables (being malnourished, stunted, or wasted). HCP and caregiver perceptions of the child's nutritional status as well as agreement between perceived and objective nutritional status and agreement between perceived nutritional status and concerns about the nutritional status were analyzed.

RESULTS

Data were available for 497 participants from eight European countries. Poorer nutritional status was associated with higher (more severe) GMFCS levels. There was minimal agreement between perceived and objective nutritional status, both for HCPs and caregivers. Agreement between HCP and caregiver perceptions of the child's nutritional status was weak (weighted kappa 0.56). However, the concerns about the nutritional status of the child were in line with the perceived nutritional status.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of poor nutritional status is associated with more severe disability in children and adolescents with CP. There is a mismatch between HCP and caregiver perceptions of participants' nutritional status as well as between subjective and objective nutritional status. Our data warrant the use of a simple and objective screening tool in daily practice to determine nutritional status in children and adolescents with CP. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03499288 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03499288). IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONUse of the ESPGHAN recommendations and simple screening tools in daily practice is needed to improve nutritional care for individuals with CP.Attention should be paid to the differences in the perception of nutritional status of individuals with CP between professionals and caregivers to improve appropriate referral for nutritional support.Objective measures rather than the professional's perception need to be used to define the nutritional status of individuals with CP.

Epilepsy awareness among school-aged students in Poland

OBJECTIVE

Epilepsy can be a well-controlled condition with only a slight impact on patients' life. Lack of knowledge within society contributes to children with epilepsy experiencing discrimination and hostility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness of epilepsy and general views on people struggling with this disease among school-aged children.

METHODS

The study was conducted on a random sample of Polish school students, in total 472 participants. Participants' knowledge was assessed by a self-completed survey.

RESULTS

Students are unaware of the wide range of symptoms occurring during seizures. More than half claimed that people experiencing epilepsy should not perform sports activities. Alarmingly, 30% of participants believe that those patients should not leave the house and they should be excluded from many jobs. Almost all participants would help a person experiencing seizures and remember proper head protection; shockingly, 20% of children would try to put something in the person's mouth. Older students seem to be better educated on epilepsy, but the percentage of incorrect personal beliefs and myths is similar for each age group.

SIGNIFICANCE

School-aged students have insufficient knowledge of epilepsy. More emphasis should be put on first aid during seizures and on the spectrum of epilepsy symptoms. Educating society is important for life quality of people experiencing epilepsy.

Peri-ictal headaches in the paediatric population - prospective study

INTRODUCTION

The co-occurrence of headache and epilepsy is well-documented in the adult population. The aim of the prospective study was to analyse in the paediatric population the correlations between the types of peri-ictal headaches and types of seizures. Furthermore, an attempt was made to find trends in characteristic features of peri-ictal headaches.Material: A total of 57 children with peri-ictal headache were enrolled in the study. The participants' guardians were asked to keep a diary of the seizure and peri-ictal headache episodes during a 180-day period. During follow-up visits, systematic history regarding peri-ictal headaches was taken.

RESULTS

A total of 913 seizure and 325 peri-ictal headache episodes were noted during the study. Post-ictal headaches were most common, occurring in < 1 h after the seizure, lasting minutes to hours and more likely to occur after generalised seizures, whereas pre-ictal headaches occurred 30-240 min before the seizure. In the analysed group, peri-ictal headaches were most often moderate in intensity. Only 30% of patients took analgesic medication, usually to treat post-ictal headaches.

CONCLUSION

Peri-ictal headaches are a significant health problem for patients with epilepsy. The most common type are post-ictal headaches, and they are most likely to appear after a generalised seizure.

Convulsive status epilepticus management in adults and children: Report of the Working Group of the Polish Society of Epileptology

INTRODUCTION

The Working Group was established at the initiative of the General Board of the Polish Society of Epileptology (PSE) to develop an expert position on the treatment of convulsive status epilepticus (SE) in adults and children in Poland. Generalized convulsive SE is the most common form and also represents the greatest threat to life, highlighting the importance of the choice of appropriate therapeutic treatment.

AIM OF GUIDELINE

We present the therapeutic options separately for treatment during the early preclinical (>5-30min), established (30-60min), and refractory (>60min) SE phases. This division is based on time and response to AEDs, and indicates a practical approach based on pathophysiological data.

RESULTS

Benzodiazepines (BZD) are the first-line drugs. In cases of ineffective first-line treatment and persistence of the seizure, the use of second-line treatment: phenytoin, valproic acid or phenobarbital is required. SE that persists after the administration of benzodiazepines and phenytoin or another second-line AED at appropriate doses is defined as refractory and drug resistant and requires treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). EEG monitoring is essential during therapy at this stage. Anesthesia is typically continued for an initial period of 24h followed by a slow reversal and is re-established if seizures recur. Anesthesia is usually administered either to the level of the "burst suppression pattern" or to obtain the "EEG suppression" pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

Experts agree that close and early cooperation with a neurologist and anesthetist aiming to reduce the risk of pharmacoresistant cases is an extremely important factor in the treatment of patients with SE. This report has educational, practical and organizational aspects, outlining a standard plan for SE management in Poland that will improve therapeutic efficacy.

Frontal aslant tract projections to the inferior frontal gyrus

BACKGROUND

Frontal aslant tract (FAT) is a white matter bundle connecting the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and the supplementary motor area (SMA) with the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the anatomical variability of FAT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Total number of fibres and the lateralisation index (LI) were calculated. We attempted to find factors contributing to the diversity of FAT regarding IFG terminations to the pars opercularis (IFG-Op) and to the pars triangularis (IFG-Tr). Magnetic resonance imaging of adult patients with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with total number of 98 hemispheres composed a cohort. V-shaped operculum was the most common (60.5%).

RESULTS

Total number of FAT fibres had widespread and unimodal distribution (6 to 1765; median: 160). Left lateralisation was noted in 64.3% of cases and was positively correlated with total number of FAT fibres and the bundle projecting to IFG-Op (p < 0.01). LI correlated with total number of FAT fibres (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). FAT projected predominantly to IFG-Op (88.9%; 88 of 99). Only in 3 (3.1%) cases more fibres terminated in IFG-Tr than in IFG-Op. Total number of FAT fibres and number of fibres terminating at IFG-Op did not correlate with the ratio of fibre numbers: FAT/IFG-Op, FAT/IFG-Tr and IFG-Op/IFG-Tr (p > 0.05). The greater total number of fibres to IFG-Tr was, the higher were the ratios of IFG-Tr/ /FAT (r = 0.57, p < 0.01) and IFG-Tr/IFG-Op (r = 0.32, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Among the IFG, the major termination of FAT is IFG-Op. Whereas the IFG-Tr projection seems to be related to the expansion of the entire FAT bundle regardless of side, domination and handedness. Nevertheless, FAT features a significant anatomical variability which cannot be explained in terms of DTI findings.

Diffusion tensor tractography imaging in pediatric epilepsy - A systematic review

PURPOSE

Recent years brought several experimental and clinical reports applying diffusion tensor tractography imaging (DTI) of the brain in epilepsy. This study was aimed to evaluate current evidence for adding the DTI sequence to the standard diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol in pediatric epilepsy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Rapid and qualitative systematic review (RAE, Rapid Evidence Assessment), aggregating relevant studies from the recent 7 years. The PubMed database was hand searched for records containing terms "tractography AND epilepsy." Only studies referring to children were included; studies were rated using "final quality of evidence."

RESULTS

Out of 144 screened records, relevant 101 were aggregated and reviewed. The synthesis was based on 73 studies. Case-control clinical studies were the majority of the material and comprised 43.8% of the material. Low 'confirmability' and low 'applicability' referred to 18 and 17 articles (29.5% and 27.9%), respectively. The sufficient quality of evidence supported performing DTI in temporal lobe epilepsy, malformations of cortical development and prior to a neurosurgery of epilepsy.

CONCLUSIONS

The qualitative RAE provides an interim estimate of the clinical relevance of quickly developing diagnostic methods. Based on the critical appraisal of current knowledge, adding the DTI sequence to the standard MRI protocol may be clinically beneficial in selected patient groups with childhood temporal lobe epilepsy or as a part of planning for an epilepsy surgery.

Current treatment of convulsive status epilepticus - a therapeutic protocol and review

The management of status epilepticus (SE) has changed in recent years. Substantial differences exist regarding the definition and time frame of a seizure, which has been operationally defined as lasting for 5 min. Not only have many new intravenous drugs, such as levetiracetam and lacosamide been introduced but other routes of administration, such as intranasal or buccal administration for midazolam, are also being developed. Optimal and successful therapy initiated at the appropriate moment, adequately tailored to the clinical state of the patient, determines the first step in the normalisation of vital functions and leads to the restoration of the physiological homeostatic mechanisms of the organism. The aim of this review is to present the current treatment options for the management of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) that have been widely confirmed as the most effective in clinical trials and approved by the international neurology authorities as the actual therapeutic standards. We also intend to indicate distinct and unequivocal differentiation and therapeutic indications for each phase of CSE, including the precise doses of the related medications, to present practical guidelines for clinicians. The treatment of patients with CSE requires emergency physicians, neurologists and specialists in intensive care to work together to provide optimal care that should be initiated as soon as possible and conducted as a unified procedure to improve neurocritical care in patients who are transferred from the ambulance service, through the emergency department and finally to the neurology department or ICU. Appropriate treatment also involves avoiding mistakes associated with inadequate doses of medications, overdosing a patient or choosing an inappropriate medication.

Towards a new treatment paradigm for ruptured blood blister-like aneurysms of the internal carotid artery? A rapid systematic review

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Owing to their peculiar features and rare occurrence, ruptured blood blister-like aneurysms (BBAs) of the internal carotid artery are challenging by both surgical and endovascular approaches and their proper management is uncertain. We therefore aimed to define the currently optimal treatment of ruptured BBAs in terms of mortality, outcome, rebleeding, and recurrence.

METHOD

An in-depth search of electronic databases, gray literature and internet resources for ruptured BBAs was performed and complemented by data retrieval during neurosurgical congresses. Clinical and radiological characteristics, intervention details, outcomes, and the impact factor of the source journal were pooled.

RESULTS

The pooled cohort comprised 311 patients. Neither surgical nor endovascular methods had an impact on clinical outcome, aneurysm regrowth, remote bleeding, or complication rate. By contrast, aneurysm clipping was a predictor of intraoperative bleeding (OR 6.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 34.3), and stent-assisted coiling increased the likelihood of a second treatment (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 13.1), its conversion to another modality (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.4 to 16.0), and incomplete aneurysm obliteration (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.0 to 6.6). Higher impact journals were more likely to publish papers on endovascular techniques, particularly flow-diverter stents.

CONCLUSIONS

None of the methods is unequivocally superior. Considering its inefficiency, stent-assisted coiling should be undertaken with caution. A time-delimited systematic review is needed to establish the most accurate treatment for ruptured BBAs.

Long-term efficacy of valproate versus lamotrigine in treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsies in children and adolescents

PURPOSE

In order to estimate and compare the long-term effectiveness of lamotrigine (LTG) versus valproate (VPA) monotherapy in treatment of newly diagnosed idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) the following study was performed.

METHODS

Medical records of 214 children and adolescents suffering from IGE were analyzed. 132 of them were on VPA monotherapy, 82 on LTG. The majority of patients had juvenile myoclonic epilepsy - 98, the rest: juvenile absence epilepsy - 32, childhood absence epilepsy - 53 and epilepsy with a tonic-clonic seizures on awakening - 12, others - 19. Mean age of the patients was 8.9 years (range 4-16 years). The mean time of treatment was 28 months, time of observation 40 months. In order to estimate retention rates and factors predicting successful treatment with LTG and VPA we used Kapplan-Meyer analysis and Gehan tests.

RESULTS

Data analysis showed significantly longer retention rates with VPA versus LTG treatment in overall rates as well in all syndromes subgroups. After 12 months of therapy 69% stayed on LTG therapy versus 89% on VPA, after 24 months 57% versus 83% respectively. VPA showed comparable efficacy in all IGE syndromes where LTG showed better efficacy in childhood and juvenile absence epilepsy than in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. The shorter duration of treatment with LTG was due to lack of efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show the superiority of VPA versus LTG treatment in idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndromes.

[Sporadic hemiplegic migraine in a 14-year-old boy--a case report]

Hemiplegic migraine is a specific form of migraine with aura including hemiparesis. It is a rare condition of unclear aetiology. The authors present a case of a 14-year-old boy with persistent foramen ovale, suffering from sporadic hemiplegic migraine. The authors broadly describe the symptoms and types of hemiplegic migraine as well as underlining diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of the attacks. The patient suffered from recurrent severe headaches, vomiting and co-existing focal neurological symptoms, including alternant hemiparesis. On the basis of the history, thorough clinical observation and numerous accessory investigations a diagnosis of sporadic hemiplegic migraine was established. However, the last attack, with prolonged neurological deficits, was treated as a complication of migraine and defined as persistent aura without infarction. The authors also broadly discuss a differential diagnosis, including other stroke-like incidents, vascular diseases, immunological and mitochondrial disorders that mimic the symptoms and clinical course of sporadic hemiplegic migraine.

Correlation of neuroradiological, electroencephalographic and clinical findings in cortical dysplasias in children

INTRODUCTION

Cortical dysplasias (CD) are defined as malformations of cortical development. They result from impairment of neuronal proliferation, migration and differentiation. CD are common pathological substrates in patients with early-onset childhood epilepsy and/or developmental delay as well as neurological signs. Recognition of the importance of cortical dysplasias has been shown in many studies when introducing structural MRI. The following study was performed in order to correlate the neuroimaging findings with the electroencephalographic and clinical picture of children with cortical dysplasias.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

46 patients with the presence of CD features in MRI were identified. There were 18 female and 28 male patients. The age ranged from 3 months to 12 years (mean age = 6.2, median age = 3.1). The objectives of the study were explained to the parents or legal representatives of children when possible and also informed consent was obtained. Multiple EEG recordings as well as detailed clinical analysis of all patients were performed. Statistical analysis was conducted in order to correlate the type of CD with clinical outcome and electrophysiological findings.

RESULTS

There were 31 patients with focal dysplasias, 6 with schizencephaly, 4 with heterotopias, 3 lissencephaly and 2 with band heterotopia. 80% presented epilepsy (60% of them drug-resistant). Additionally, we tried to elucidate the clinical characteristics of epilepsy. In 75% of epilepsy patients the electroencephalographic changes correlated with anatomical localization of CD. 74% of patients were mentally retarded and 30% had focal neurological deficits.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no correlations between the type of CD and the severity of the clinical picture, especially the level of mental retardation and presence of drug-resistant epilepsy. Different age at epilepsy onset and various responsiveness to antiepileptic drugs in the majority of patients may reflect different dynamics in epileptogenicity of the underlying CD.