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Herzig-Nichtweiß J, Salih F, Berning S, Malter MP, Pelz JO, Lochner P, Wittstock M, Günther A, Alonso A, Fuhrer H, Schönenberger S, Petersen M, Kohle F, Müller A, Gawlitza A, Gubarev W, Holtkamp M, Vorderwülbecke BJ. Prognosis and management of acute symptomatic seizures: a prospective, multicenter, observational study. Ann Intensive Care 2023; 13:85. [PMID: 37712992 PMCID: PMC10504169 DOI: 10.1186/s13613-023-01183-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute symptomatic epileptic seizures are frequently seen in neurocritical care. To prevent subsequent unprovoked seizures, long-term treatments with antiseizure medications are often initiated although supporting evidence is lacking. This study aimed at prospectively assessing the risk of unprovoked seizure relapse with respect to the use of antiseizure medications. It was hypothesized that after a first acute symptomatic seizure of structural etiology, the cumulative 12-month risk of unprovoked seizure relapse is ≤ 25%. METHODS Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 18 and acute symptomatic first-ever epileptic seizure; patients with status epilepticus were excluded. Using telephone and mail interviews, participants were followed for 12 months after the acute symptomatic first seizure. Primary endpoint was the occurrence and timing of a first unprovoked seizure relapse. In addition, neuro-intensivists in Germany were interviewed about their antiseizure treatment strategies through an anonymous online survey. RESULTS Eleven of 122 participants with structural etiology had an unprovoked seizure relapse, resulting in a cumulative 12-month risk of 10.7% (95%CI, 4.7%-16.7%). None of 19 participants with a non-structural etiology had a subsequent unprovoked seizure. Compared to structural etiology alone, combined infectious and structural etiology was independently associated with unprovoked seizure relapse (OR 11.1; 95%CI, 1.8-69.7). Median duration of antiseizure treatment was 3.4 months (IQR 0-9.3). Seven out of 11 participants had their unprovoked seizure relapse while taking antiseizure medication; longer treatment durations were not associated with decreased risk of unprovoked seizure relapse. Following the non-representative online survey, most neuro-intensivists consider 3 months or less of antiseizure medication to be adequate. CONCLUSIONS Even in case of structural etiology, acute symptomatic seizures bear a low risk of subsequent unprovoked seizures. There is still no evidence favoring long-term treatments with antiseizure medications. Hence, individual constellations with an increased risk of unprovoked seizure relapse should be identified, such as central nervous system infections causing structural brain damage. However, in the absence of high-risk features, antiseizure medications should be discontinued early to avoid overtreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Herzig-Nichtweiß
- Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Germany
| | - Farid Salih
- Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Germany
| | - Sascha Berning
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Michael P Malter
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Johann O Pelz
- Department and Policlinic of Neurology, Leipzig University Medicine, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Piergiorgio Lochner
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg a. d. Saar, Germany
| | - Matthias Wittstock
- Department and Policlinic of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Albrecht Günther
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Angelika Alonso
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hannah Fuhrer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Silvia Schönenberger
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Felix Kohle
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Annekatrin Müller
- Department and Policlinic of Neurology, Leipzig University Medicine, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Gawlitza
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg a. d. Saar, Germany
| | - Waldemar Gubarev
- Department and Policlinic of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Martin Holtkamp
- Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Germany
| | - Bernd J Vorderwülbecke
- Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Germany.
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Arndts K, Kegele J, Massarani AS, Ritter M, Wagner T, Pfarr K, Lämmer C, Dörmann P, Peisker H, Menche D, Al-Bahra M, Prazeres da Costa C, Schmutzhard E, Matuja W, Hoerauf A, Layland-Heni LE, Winkler AS. Epilepsy and nodding syndrome in association with an Onchocerca volvulus infection drive distinct immune profile patterns. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011503. [PMID: 37535695 PMCID: PMC10426931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have described the association of onchocerciasis (caused by Onchocerca volvulus) with epilepsy, including nodding syndrome, although a clear etiological link is still missing. Cases are found in different African countries (Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Cameroon). In our study we investigated immunological parameters (cytokine, chemokine, immunoglobulin levels) in individuals from the Mahenge area, Tanzania, presenting with either epilepsy or nodding syndrome with or without O. volvulus infection and compared them to O. volvulus negative individuals from the same endemic area lacking neurological disorders. Additionally, cell differentiation was performed using blood smears and systemic levels of neurodegeneration markers, leiomodin-1 and N-acetyltyramine-O, β-glucuronide (NATOG) were determined. Our findings revealed that cytokines, most chemokines and neurodegeneration markers were comparable between both groups presenting with epilepsy or nodding syndrome. However, we observed elevated eosinophil percentages within the O. volvulus positive epilepsy/nodding syndrome patients accompanied with increased eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and antigen-specific IgG levels in comparison to those without an O. volvulus infection. Furthermore, highest levels of NATOG were found in O. volvulus positive nodding syndrome patients. These findings highlight that the detection of distinct biomarkers might be useful for a differential diagnosis of epilepsy and nodding syndrome in O. volvulus endemic areas. Trial-registration: NCT03653975.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Arndts
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
| | - Josua Kegele
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Neurology and Epileptology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alain S. Massarani
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
| | - Manuel Ritter
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
| | - Thomas Wagner
- Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Germany
| | - Kenneth Pfarr
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christine Lämmer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Peter Dörmann
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology of Plants, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Helga Peisker
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology of Plants, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dirk Menche
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mazen Al-Bahra
- Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Clarissa Prazeres da Costa
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Germany
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Erich Schmutzhard
- Department of Neurology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - William Matuja
- Department of Neurology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
- German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC), Partner Site Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Laura E. Layland-Heni
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, German
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrea S. Winkler
- Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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