Socioeconomic status in adulthood of children with and without a history of seizures: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Compare adulthood socioeconomic status for children with and without a history of seizures.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study using Aberdeen Children of the Nineteen Fifties (ACONF) data comprising children born 1950-1956 attending primary school 1962-1964, with follow-up data collected in 2001. Adulthood socioeconomic status was based on registrar general measure of occupational social class and categorised as high or low. We adjusted for potentially confounding variables including childhood socioeconomic status, behavioural issues (Rutter A/B scores), biological sex, school test scores, educational attainment, parental engagement with education, peer-status in school, and alcohol use in adulthood. A multivariate binary logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted association between children with a history of seizures of any type (for example febrile seizures, or provoked seizures of any other etiology or seizures in the context of epilepsy) or severity and adult socioeconomic status. Multiple imputation using the Monte-Carlo-Markov-Chain method accounted for missing data.

RESULTS

Pooled estimates (N = 2,208) comparing children with a history of seizures (n = 81) and children without a history of seizures (n = 2,127) found no differences between these cohorts in terms of adulthood socioeconomic status in both unadjusted (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.45 [95 % CI 0.71-2.96], p = 0.31) and adjusted (1.02 [0.46, 2.24], p = 0.96) analyses. Compared to males, females were at increased odds of having a lower socioeconomic status in adulthood (1.56 [1.13-2.17], p = 0.01).Compared to those with low educational attainment, those with moderate (0.32 [0.21, 0.48], p < 0.001) and high (0.12 [0.07, 0.20], p < 0.001) educational attainment were at reduced odds of having a lower socioeconomic status in adulthood.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive problems in childhood (using educational attainment and scores on primary school tests proxy markers for cognition) rather than a history of seizures per se, were associated with lower SES in a population of adults born 1950-56 in Aberdeen. This relationship may be different depending on the time in history and nation/region of study. Given the changes in health, education and social support in the management of children with seizures over time, it would be of interest to investigate outcomes in a contemporary cohort. Such studies should ideally have validated diagnoses of seizures, details on seizure characteristics such as seizure type and severity, and a large sample size using national data.

Comparison of neurodevelopmental, educational and adult socioeconomic outcomes in offspring of women with and without epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Adequate pre-pregnancy counselling and education planning are essential to improve outcomes for offspring of women with epilepsy (OWWE). The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare outcomes for OWWE and offspring of women without epilepsy (OWWoE).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO (database inception-1st January 2023), OpenGrey, GoogleScholar, and hand-searched journals and reference lists of included studies to identify eligible studies. We placed no language restrictions and included observational studies concerning OWWE and OWWoE. We followed the PRIMSA checklist for abstracting data. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for risk of bias assessment was conducted independently by two authors with mediation by a third. We report pooled unadjusted odds ratios (OR) or mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (95CI) from random (I2>50%) or fixed (I2<50%) effects meta-analyses. Outcomes of interest included offspring autism, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, intellectual disability, epilepsy, developmental disorder, intelligence, educational, and adulthood socioeconomic outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 10,928 articles identified, we included 21 in meta-analyses. OWWE had increased odds of autism (2 articles, 4,502,098 offspring) OR [95CI] 1·67 [1·54, 1·82], attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (3 articles, 957,581 offspring) 1·59 [1·44, 1·76], intellectual disability (2 articles, 4,501,786 children) 2·37 [2·13, 2·65], having special educational needs (3 articles, 1,308,919 children) 2·60 [1·07, 6·34]. OWWE had worse mean scores for full-scale intelligence (5 articles, 989 children) -6·05 [-10·31, -1·79]. No studies were identified that investigated adulthood socioeconomic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased odds of poor outcomes are higher with greater anti-seizure medication burden including neurodevelopmental and educational outcomes. In fact, these two outcomes seem to be worse in OWWE compared to OWWoE, even if there was no ASM exposure during pregnancy, but further work is needed to take into account potential confounding factors.

Evaluating fenfluramine hydrochloride as an oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe childhood-onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by treatment-refractory seizures, including tonic/atonic 'drop' seizures, and intellectual impairment and slow spike-wave discharges on the electroencephalogram. Fenfluramine, previously prescribed as a weight-loss drug but then withdrawn, has recently been approved in the US, EU, and UK for the adjunct treatment of seizures associated with LGS.

AREAS COVERED

The authors review the efficacy and safety findings from clinical trials of fenfluramine in LGS. The authors then discuss the evidence for adverse effects that may be of particular concern to fenfluramine, namely cardiac abnormalities, and weight loss, in the context of the use of fenfluramine for the treatment of the refractory seizures in LGS.

EXPERT OPINION

Fenfluramine has demonstrated efficacy in reducing the frequency of seizures in LGS, notably drop seizures, in short-term and long-term clinical trials. Valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension have not been reported at the low doses (≤26 mg/day) used in these studies, however, data are limited. Due to its novel mechanism of action, fenfluramine may be of benefit in LGS which has not responded adequately to other antiseizure medications. However, none of these medications, including fenfluramine, achieves the ultimate goal of seizure freedom in most cases.

Critical success index or F measure to validate the accuracy of administrative healthcare data identifying epilepsy in deceased adults in Scotland

BACKGROUND

Methods to undertake diagnostic accuracy studies of administrative epilepsy data are challenged by lack of a way to reliably rank case-ascertainment algorithms in order of their accuracy. This is because it is difficult to know how to prioritise positive predictive value (PPV) and sensitivity (Sens). Large numbers of true negative (TN) instances frequently found in epilepsy studies make it difficult to discriminate algorithm accuracy on the basis of negative predictive value (NPV) and specificity (Spec) as these become inflated (usually >90%). This study demonstrates the complementary value of using weather forecasting or machine learning metrics critical success index (CSI) or F measure, respectively, as unitary metrics combining PPV and sensitivity. We reanalyse data published in a diagnostic accuracy study of administrative epilepsy mortality data in Scotland.

METHOD

CSI was calculated as 1/[(1/PPV) + (1/Sens) - 1]. F measure was calculated as 2.PPV.Sens/(PPV + Sens). CSI and F values range from 0 to 1, interpreted as 0 = inaccurate prediction and 1 = perfect accuracy. The published algorithms were reanalysed using these and their accuracy re-ranked according to CSI in order to allow comparison to the original rankings.

RESULTS

CSI scores were conservative (range 0.02-0.826), always less than or equal to the lower of the corresponding PPV (range 39-100%) and sensitivity (range 2-93%). F values were less conservative (range 0.039-0.905), sometimes higher than either PPV or sensitivity, but were always higher than CSI. Low CSI and F values occurred when there was a large difference between PPV and sensitivity, e.g. CSI was 0.02 and F was 0.039 in an instance when PPV was 100% and sensitivity was 2%. Algorithms with both high PPV and sensitivity performed best in terms of CSI and F measure, e.g. CSI was 0.826 and F was 0.905 in an instance when PPV was 90% and sensitivity was 91%.

CONCLUSION

CSI or F measure can combine PPV and sensitivity values into a convenient single metric that is easier to interpret and rank in terms of diagnostic accuracy than trying to rank diagnostic accuracy according to the two measures themselves. CSI or F prioritise instances where both PPV and sensitivity are high over instances where there are large differences between PPV and sensitivity (even if one of these is very high), allowing diagnostic accuracy thresholds based on combined PPV and sensitivity to be determined. Therefore, CSI or F measures may be helpful complementary metrics to report alongside PPV and sensitivity in diagnostic accuracy studies of administrative epilepsy data.

Efficient organisation of the contralateral hemisphere connectome is associated with improvement in intelligence quotient after paediatric epilepsy surgery

OBJECTIVE

Aims of epilepsy surgery in childhood include optimising seizure control and facilitating cognitive development. Predicting which children will improve cognitively is challenging. We investigated the association of the pre-operative structural connectome of the contralateral non-operated hemisphere with improvement in intelligence quotient (IQ) post-operatively.

METHODS

Consecutive children who had undergone unilateral resective procedures for epilepsy at a single centre were retrospectively identified. We included those with pre-operative volume T1-weighted non-contrast brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), no visible contralateral MRI abnormalities, and both pre-operative and two years post-operative IQ assessment. The MRI of the hemisphere contralateral to the side of resection was anatomically parcellated into 34 cortical regions and the covariance of cortical thickness between regions was used to create binary and weighted group connectomes.

RESULTS

Eleven patients with a post-operative IQ increase of at least 10 points at two years were compared with twenty-four patients with no change in IQ score. Children who gained at least 10 IQ points post-operatively had a more efficiently structured contralateral hemisphere connectome with higher global efficiency (0.74) compared to those whose IQ did not change at two years (0.58, p = 0.014). This was consistent across thresholds and both binary and weighted networks. There were no statistically significant group differences in age, sex, age at onset of epilepsy, pre-operative IQ, mean cortical thickness, side or site of procedure, two year post-operative Engel scores or use of anti-seizure medications between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical procedures to reduce or stop seizures may allow children with an efficiently structured contralateral hemisphere to achieve their cognitive potential.

The association of structural connectome efficiency with cognition in children with epilepsy

OBJECTIVE

Cognitive impairment is common in children with epilepsy (CWE), but understanding the underlying pathological processes is challenging. We aimed to investigate the association of structural brain network organisation with cognition.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of CWE without structural brain abnormalities, comparing whole brain network characteristics between those with cognitive impairment and those with intact cognition. We created structural whole-brain connectomes from anatomical and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging using the number of streamlines and tract-averaged fractional anisotropy. We assessed the differences in average path length and global network efficiency between children with cognitive impairment and those without,using multivariable analyses to account for possible clinical group differences.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight CWE and cognitive impairment had lower whole brain network global efficiency compared with 34 children with intact cognition (0.54, standard deviation (SD):0.003 vs. 0.56, SD:0.002, p < 0.001), which is equivalent to longer normalized network average path lengths (1.14, SD:0.05 vs. 1.10, SD:0.02, p = 0.003). In multivariable logistic regression cognitive impairment was not significantly associated with age of onset, duration of epilepsy, or number of antiseizure medications, but was independently associated with daily seizures (p = 0.04) and normalized average path length (p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher structural network average path length and lower global network efficiency may be imaging biomarkers of cognitive impairment in epilepsy. Understanding what leads to changes in structural connectivity could aid identification of modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment. These findings are only applicable to the specific cohort studied, and further confirmation in other cohorts is required.

Case-control study developing Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score to predict epilepsy-related death

This study aimed to develop a risk prediction model for epilepsy-related death in adults. In this age- and sex-matched case-control study, we compared adults (aged ≥16 years) who had epilepsy-related death between 2009 and 2016 to living adults with epilepsy in Scotland. Cases were identified from validated administrative national datasets linked to mortality records. ICD-10 cause-of-death coding was used to define epilepsy-related death. Controls were recruited from a research database and epilepsy clinics. Clinical data from medical records were abstracted and used to undertake univariable and multivariable conditional logistic regression to develop a risk prediction model consisting of four variables chosen a priori. A weighted sum of the factors present was taken to create a risk index-the Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score. Odds ratios were estimated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Here, 224 deceased cases (mean age 48 years, 114 male) and 224 matched living controls were compared. In univariable analysis, predictors of epilepsy-related death were recent epilepsy-related accident and emergency attendance (odds ratio 5.1, 95% CI 3.2-8.3), living in deprived areas (odds ratio 2.5, 95% CI 1.6-4.0), developmental epilepsy (odds ratio 3.1, 95% CI 1.7-5.7), raised Charlson Comorbidity Index score (odds ratio 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-5.2), alcohol abuse (odds ratio 4.4, 95% CI 2.2-9.2), absent recent neurology review (odds ratio 3.8, 95% CI 2.4-6.1) and generalized epilepsy (odds ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0). Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score model variables were derived from the first four listed before, with Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥2 given 1 point, living in the two most deprived areas given 2 points, having an inherited or congenital aetiology or risk factor for developing epilepsy given 2 points and recent epilepsy-related accident and emergency attendance given 3 points. Compared to having a Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score of 0, those with a Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score of 1 remained low risk, with odds ratio 1.6 (95% CI 0.5-4.8). Those with a Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score of 2-3 had moderate risk, with odds ratio 2.8 (95% CI 1.3-6.2). Those with a Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score of 4-5 and 6-8 were high risk, with odds ratio 14.4 (95% CI 5.9-35.2) and 24.0 (95% CI 8.1-71.2), respectively. The Scottish Epilepsy Deaths Study Score may be a helpful tool for identifying adults at high risk of epilepsy-related death and requires external validation.

Comparison of Perinatal Outcomes for Women With and Without Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance

Pregnant women who have epilepsy need adequate engagement, information, and pregnancy planning and management to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Objective

To investigate perinatal outcomes in women with epilepsy compared with women without epilepsy.

Data Sources

Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched with no language or date restrictions (database inception through December 6, 2022). Searches also included OpenGrey and Google Scholar and manual searching in journals and reference lists of included studies.

Study Selection

All observational studies comparing women with and without epilepsy were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

The PRISMA checklist was used for abstracting data and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for risk-of-bias assessment. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment were done independently by 2 authors with mediation conducted independently by a third author. Pooled unadjusted odds ratios (OR) or mean differences were reported with 95% CI from random-effects (I2 heterogeneity statistic >50%) or fixed-effects (I2 < 50%) meta-analyses.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications.

Results

Of 8313 articles identified, 76 were included in the meta-analyses. Women with epilepsy had increased odds of miscarriage (12 articles, 25 478 pregnancies; OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.15-2.29), stillbirth (20 articles, 28 134 229 pregnancies; OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.29-1.47), preterm birth (37 articles, 29 268 866 pregnancies; OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.32-1.51) and maternal death (4 articles, 23 288 083 pregnancies; OR, 5.00; 95% CI, 1.38-18.04). Neonates born to women with epilepsy had increased odds of congenital conditions (29 articles, 24 238 334 pregnancies; OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.66-2.12), neonatal intensive care unit admission (8 articles, 1 204 428 pregnancies; OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.58-2.51), and neonatal or infant death (13 articles, 1 426 692 pregnancies; OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.56-2.24). The increased odds of poor outcomes was increased with greater use of antiseizure medication.

Conclusions and Relevance

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that women with epilepsy have worse perinatal outcomes compared with women without epilepsy. Women with epilepsy should receive pregnancy counseling from an epilepsy specialist who can also optimize their antiseizure medication regimen before and during pregnancy.

Current and emerging pharmacotherapy for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

INTRODUCTION

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe childhood-onset epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by multiple seizure types, generalized slow spike-and-wave complexes in the EEG, and cognitive impairment. Seizures in LGS are typically resistant to treatment with antiseizure medications (ASMs). Tonic/atonic ('drop') seizures are of particular concern, due to their liability to cause physical injury.

AREAS COVERED

We summarize evidence for current and emerging ASMs for the treatment of seizures in LGS. The review focuses on findings from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (RDBCTs). For ASMs for which no double-blind trials were identified, lower quality evidence was considered. Novel pharmacological agents currently undergoing investigation for the treatment of LGS are also briefly discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

Evidence from RDBCTs supports the use of cannabidiol, clobazam, felbamate, fenfluramine, lamotrigine, rufinamide, and topiramate as adjunct treatments for drop seizures. Percentage decreases in drop seizure frequency ranged from 68.3% with high-dose clobazam to 14.8% with topiramate. Valproate continues to be considered the first-line treatment, despite the absence of RDBCTs specifically in LGS. Most individuals with LGS will require treatment with multiple ASMs. Treatment decisions should be individualized and take into account adverse effects, comorbidities, general quality of life, and drug interactions, as well as individual efficacy.

Functional neurological disorder in children and young people: Incidence, clinical features, and prognosis

AIM

To report incidence, demographic and clinical characteristics, and symptom outcome of functional neurological disorder (FND) in children.

METHOD

Children diagnosed with FND at a regional children's hospital were prospectively recruited by weekly active surveillance for 36 months. Demographic, clinical, and follow-up data were retrospectively extracted by review of electronic records. Descriptive statistical analyses were used.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven children (age range 5-15 years) met the case definition of FND (annual incidence 18.3 per 100 000 children). Children with FND were likely to be female (n = 68 [70%]) and older (median 13 years) with no difference in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (marker of socioeconomic status) compared with the general childhood population. Functional motor (41%) and sensory (41%) symptoms were most common; other somatic symptoms such as headache (31%) and pain (27%) were frequent. Self-reported psychiatric symptoms and infection/inflammation were the most common predisposing and precipitating factors respectively. At a median of 15 months follow-up, 49% of 75 children reported improvement or resolution of FND symptoms with no prognostic factors found.

INTERPRETATION

At this regional centre, FND in children had a higher incidence than previously reported and a less optimistic outcome than in some other studies.

Using Critical Success Index or Gilbert Skill score as composite measures of positive predictive value and sensitivity in diagnostic accuracy studies: weather forecasting informing epilepsy research

The Critical Success Index (CSI) and Gilbert Skill score (GS) are verification measures that are commonly used to check the accuracy of weather forecasting. In this article, we propose that they can also be used to simplify the joint interpretation of positive predictive value (PPV) and sensitivity estimates across diagnostic accuracy studies of epilepsy data. This is because CSI and GS each provide a single measure that takes the weather forecasting equivalent of PPV and sensitivity into account. We have re-analysed data from our recent systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies of administrative epilepsy data using CSI and GS. We summarise the results and benefits of this approach.

A national study of epilepsy-related deaths in Scotland: Trends, mechanisms, and avoidable deaths

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to investigate the trends and mechanisms of epilepsy-related deaths in Scotland, highlighting the proportion that were potentially avoidable.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational data-linkage study of administrative data from 2009-2016. We linked nationwide data encompassing mortality records, hospital admissions, outpatient attendance, antiepileptic drug (AED) prescriptions, and regional primary care attendances. Adults (aged ≥16 years) suffering epilepsy-related death were identified for study using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision coding combined with AED prescriptions. We reported epilepsy-related mortality rate (MR), age-specific mortality ratios, multiple cause-of-death frequencies, and the proportion of potentially avoidable deaths (identified as those with an underlying cause listed as avoidable by the Office for National Statistics).

RESULTS

A total of 1921 epilepsy-related deaths were identified across Scotland; 1185 (62%) decedents were hospitalized for seizures in the years leading up to death, yet only 518 (27%) were seen in a neurology clinic during the same period. MR remained unchanged over time, ranging from 5.9 to 8.7 per 100 000 Scottish population (95% confidence interval [CI] = -.05 to .66 per 100 000 for annual change in MR). Mortality ratios were significantly increased in young adults aged 16-54 years (2.3, 95% CI = 1.8-2.8), peaking at age 16-24 years (5.3, 95% CI = 1.8-8.8). Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) constituted 30% of the 553 young adult epilepsy-related deaths, with several other non-SUDEP fatal mechanisms identified including aspiration pneumonia, cardiac arrest, AED or narcotic poisoning, drowning, and alcohol dependence. Seventy-six percent of young adult epilepsy-related deaths were potentially avoidable.

SIGNIFICANCE

Epilepsy-related deaths are a major public health problem in Scotland, given that they are not reducing, people are dying young, and many deaths are potentially avoidable. SUDEP is only one of several important mechanisms by which epilepsy-related deaths are occurring in young adults. Services may need to be re-evaluated to improve specialist referral following seizure-related hospital admissions.

Impaired social attention detected through eye movements in children with early-onset epilepsy

OBJECTIVES

Children with early-onset epilepsy (CWEOE; epilepsy onset before 5 years) exhibit impaired social functioning, but social attention has not yet been examined. In this study we sought to explore visual attention via eye tracking as a component of social attention and examine its relationship with social functioning and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) risk scores.

METHODS

Forty-seven CWEOE (3-63 months) and 41 controls (3-61 months) completed two eye-tracking tasks: (1) preference for social versus nonsocial naturalistic scenes, and (2) face region preference task. ASD risk was measured via the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers or Conners Early Childhood Total Score. Social functioning was assessed via the Greenspan Social-Emotional Growth Chart, or Infant-Toddler Social & Emotional Assessment Competence Scale, or Conners Early Childhood Social Functioning Scale, depending on age. Fixation preferences for social scenes and eyes were compared between groups and evaluated by age and social functioning scores.

RESULTS

Regression analysis revealed that CWEOE viewed the social scene to a significantly less degree than controls. The greatest difference was found between the youngest CWEOE and controls. Fixation duration was independently and significantly related to social functioning scores. There were no significant differences between CWEOE and controls in the face scanning task, and there was no significant relationship between either task and ASD risk scores.

SIGNIFICANCE

CWEOE exhibit task-specific atypical social attention early in the course of the disease. This may be an early marker of impaired social development, and it suggests abnormal social brain development.

Prevalence, healthcare resource utilization and mortality of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: retrospective linkage cohort study

PURPOSE

To retrospectively investigate the prevalence, demography, antiseizure medication (ASM) usage, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and mortality of patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in primary and secondary care in the UK.

METHODS

Patients with confirmed LGS were anonymously identified from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD database (01/01/1987-31/1b0/2018) using the LGS Read Code (F250500). Probable LGS was identified using the International Classification of Diseases-10/Read Code for epilepsy (Hospital Episode Statistics [HES]/CPRD) plus rufinamide prescription. Period prevalence was calculated based on patients enrolled in CPRD GOLD and alive in 2017. CPRD data were linked to HES to calculate HCRU, and to the Office for National Statistics mortality registry.

RESULTS

Period prevalence of LGS was 0.578/10,000 (n = 180), with 74 and 106 patients identified with confirmed (0.289/10,000) and probable LGS (0.420/10,000). Mean (max) ASM usage was ~1 (3) per year. In confirmed LGS, valproate (72%), lamotrigine (69%), and clobazam (66%) were the most commonly prescribed ASMs. HCRU (per patient-year) was similar in confirmed and probable LGS and mostly consisted of primary care general practitioner consultations (4-6), outpatient visits (5-10), inpatient admissions (1-4), and A&E visits (1). During the follow-up period, 18 patients died with crude mortality rates of 6.12 (confirmed LGS) and 4.17 (probable LGS) deaths per 1000 person-years.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of LGS appears low in the UK. The similarly high HCRU and mortality rates in confirmed and probable LGS support the validity and specificity of the probable LGS algorithm and high burden of LGS.

Cannabidiol in conjunction with clobazam: analysis of four randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety profile of add-on cannabidiol (CBD) in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome (DS) on clobazam and in the overall population of four randomized, controlled phase 3 trials.

METHODS

Patients received plant-derived, highly purified CBD medicine (Epidiolex^® in the USA; Epidyolex^® in Europe; 100 mg/ml oral solution) at a dose of 10 or 20 mg/kg/day, or placebo for 14 weeks. A subgroup analysis of patients on clobazam and meta-analysis by syndrome were conducted. The primary endpoint was percentage reduction in primary seizure type during the treatment period.

RESULTS

396 patients with LGS (49% on clobazam) and 318 patients with DS (64% on clobazam) were included. CBD treatment resulted in a reduction in primary seizure frequency vs placebo in the overall population (treatment ratio [95% confidence interval]: LGS, 0.70 [0.62-0.80]; DS, 0.71 [0.60-0.83]) and in patients receiving clobazam (LGS, 0.56 [0.47-0.67]; DS, 0.63 [0.52-0.77]). The antiseizure efficacy of CBD was also demonstrated across other endpoints vs placebo (≥50% responder rate, total seizure frequency, number of seizure-free days, and Subject/Caregiver Global Impression of Change scores) in the overall populations and in patients receiving clobazam. There were higher incidences of somnolence and sedation in patients on CBD and clobazam. Most incidences of elevated transaminases occurred in patients on concomitant valproate and, to a lesser extent, clobazam.

CONCLUSIONS

Add-on CBD was effective in reducing seizures in the overall populations and in conjunction with clobazam. Somnolence and sedation occurred more frequently in patients on CBD and clobazam.

Current understanding of febrile seizures and their long-term outcomes

In this paper we reframe febrile seizures, which are viewed as a symptom of an underlying brain disorder. The general observation is that a small cohort of children will develop febrile seizures (2-5% in the West), while the greater majority will not. This suggests that the brain that generates a seizure, in an often-mild febrile context, differs in some ways from the brain that does not. While the underlying brain disorder appears to have no significant adverse implication in the majority of children with febrile seizures, serious long-term outcomes (cognitive and neuropsychiatric) have been recently reported, including sudden death. These adverse events likely reflect the underlying intrinsic brain pathology, as yet undefined, of which febrile seizures are purely a manifestation and not the primary cause. A complex interaction between brain-genetics-epigenetics-early environment is likely at play. In view of this emerging data, it is time to review whether febrile seizures are a single entity, with a new and multidimensional approach needed to help with predicting outcome. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: A febrile seizure is due to a brain's aberrant response to high temperature. Problems in a small group of children are now being identified later in life. There is no clear correlation between duration or other characteristics of febrile seizures and subsequent mesial temporal sclerosis.

A nationwide, retrospective, data-linkage, cohort study of epilepsy and incident dementia

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association of epilepsy with incident dementia by conducting a nationwide, retrospective data-linkage, cohort study to examine whether the association varies according to dementia subtypes and to investigate whether risk factors modify the association.

METHODS

We used linked health data from hospitalization, mortality records, and primary care consultations to follow up 563,151 Welsh residents from their 60th birthday to estimate dementia rate and associated risk factors. Dementia, epilepsy, and covariates (medication, smoking, comorbid conditions) were classified with the use of previously validated code lists. We studied rate of dementia and dementia subtypes in people with epilepsy (PWE) and without epilepsy using (stratified) Kaplan-Meier plots and flexible parametric survival models.

RESULTS

PWE had a 2.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-2.6) times higher hazard of incident dementia, a 1.6 (95% CI 1.4-1.8) times higher hazard of incident Alzheimer disease (AD), and a 3.1 (95% CI 2.8-3.4) times higher hazard of incident Vascular dementia (VaD). A history of stroke modified the increased incidence in PWE. PWE who were first diagnosed at ≤25 years of age had a dementia rate similar to that of those diagnosed later in life. PWE who had ever been prescribed sodium valproate compared to those who had not were at higher risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 1.6, 99% CI 1.4-1.9) and VaD (HR 1.7, 99% CI 1.4-2.1) but not AD (HR 1.2, 99% CI 0.9-1.5).

CONCLUSION

PWE compared to those without epilepsy have an increased dementia risk.

Incidence of early-onset epilepsy: A prospective population-based study

PURPOSE

The first five years of life reflect a critical period of development prior to formal education yet few epidemiological studies focus on children with early-onset epilepsy (CWEOE; onset <60 months). This study aimed to determine early-onset epilepsy incidence using a comprehensive case identification strategy, and examined socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnicity as risk factors.

METHODS

Through a prospective, population-based study, newly diagnosed CWEOE from Fife and Lothian, Scotland, were identified using multiple-source, active surveillance capture-recapture between May 2013 and June 2015. Crude, ascertainment-adjusted, age-adjusted, age- and gender-specific, and epilepsy-type incidence rates were determined. Risk ratios (RR) were calculated to examine SES and ethnicity as risk factors.

RESULTS

59 (36 Male) CWEOE were identified. Ascertainment was 98% (95% CI 94-103). Crude annual incidence of epilepsy in children 0-59 months was 60.2 (95% CI 44.8-75.5) per 100,000 per year; ascertainment-adjusted annual incidence was 61.7 (95% CI 46.2-77.3) per year. Cumulative incidence of West Syndrome/Infantile Spasms was 6.7 per 10,000 live births (95% CI 3.6-12.3). Aetiology was unknown in almost two-thirds of CWEOE. Compared to White-British Isles (BI) children, Asian children (RR 2.6 [95% CI 1.2-5.7], p = .02) and White-non-BI children (RR 2.5 [95% CI 1.2-5.2], p = .02) had increased risk. SES was not a risk factor.

CONCLUSION

The high incidence of early-onset epilepsy is similar to previous studies and demonstrates a substantial disease burden. Cause of epilepsy remains unknown in almost two thirds of CWEOE. Ethnicity but not SES affects early-onset epilepsy risk.

The outcomes of childhood convulsive status epilepticus

BACKGROUND

Few studies focus specifically on childhood convulsive status epilepticus (CSE). Geographical differences and study design may influence research findings. A comprehensive understanding of the outcomes of childhood CSE needs to bear these factors in mind when examining the published literature. A systematic review of the outcome of childhood CSE was carried out more than a decade ago. Since then, there have been major prospective studies (in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)) focused on childhood CSE.

METHODS

Six major prospective studies are described, and their results combined through a narrative synthesis with findings of the earlier systematic review. The following CSE outcomes are described: (1) recurrence; (2) short-term mortality; (3) subsequent epilepsy; (4) neurological, cognitive, and behavioral impairments outside of epilepsy; (5) long-term mortality; (6) association with hippocampal injury and mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS); and (7) white matter changes.

RESULTS

One-year recurrence after the first-ever CSE, whether its prolonged febrile seizures (PFS) or non-PFS, is 16% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10-24). Twenty percent will have a recurrence within 4 years. Case fatality during hospitalization in high income countries is 2.7-5.2%, and 15% in SSA. The cumulative incidence of subsequent epilepsy nine years post-CSE is 25% (95% CI: 16-36). Neurological, cognitive, and behavioral impairments outside of epilepsy are detectable within 6 weeks of CSE. This persists at one year, and by 9 years follow-up, at least at third of subjects will be affected. Long-term mortality ranges from 5 to 17%, with the true estimate at 9 years follow-up to be 8% with standardized mortality ratio of 46. Mesial temporal sclerosis is uncommon, and decreased hippocampal volume is seen in both PFS and non-PFS. Duration is not but etiology/CSE type is, associated with outcome.

CONCLUSION

Childhood CSE is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Etiology but not duration is the main determinant. This article is part of the Special Issue "Proceedings of the 7th London-Innsbruck Colloquium on Status Epilepticus and Acute Seizures.

Seizure frequency, healthcare resource utilisation and mortality in childhood epilepsy: a retrospective cohort study using the THIN database

OBJECTIVE

To understand the association of seizure frequency with healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) and mortality in UK children with epilepsy (CWE).

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Routinely collected data in primary care from The Health Improvement Network UK database.

PATIENTS

CWE ≥1 and<18 years of age with a record of seizure frequency were included in mortality analyses from 2005 to 2015 and HCRU analyses from 2010 to 2015.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Frequency of HCRU contacts during the year following latest seizure frequency and mortality (descriptive and Cox proportional hazards regression) from first record of seizure frequency.

RESULTS

Higher seizure frequency was related to increased HCRU utilisation and mortality. In negative binomial regression, each category increase in seizure frequency related to 11% more visits to general practitioners, 35% more inpatient admissions, 15% more outpatient visits and increased direct HCRU costs (24%). 11 patients died during 12 490 patient-years follow-up. The unadjusted HR of mortality per higher category of seizure frequency was 2.56 (95% CI: 1.52 to 4.31). Adjustment for age and number of prescribed anti-epileptic drugs at index attenuated this estimate to 2.11 (95% CI: 1.24 to 3.60).

CONCLUSION

Higher seizure frequency is associated with greater HCRU and mortality in CWE in the UK. Improvement in seizure control may potentially lead to better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare use.

Epilepsy-related and other causes of mortality in people with epilepsy: A systematic review of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

This systematic review of epilepsy mortality systematic reviews evaluates comparative risks, causes, and risk factors for all-cause mortality in people with epilepsy (PWE) to specifically establish the burden of epilepsy-related deaths.

METHODS

MEDLINE and Embase were searched from conception to 26/12/2018 for systematic reviews evaluating all-cause mortality in PWE of any age. Independent study selection, data extraction and quality assessment were performed. Deaths were separated into epilepsy-related and unrelated using a recently published classification system. Outcomes included standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and mortality rate (MR) in a primary analysis of comparative risks, causes, and risk factors for all-cause and epilepsy-related mortality. A narrative synthesis of review findings was used to present results, including from a secondary analysis of individual epilepsy-related death risk factors.

RESULTS

Six moderate or high-quality systematic reviews were included in the primary analysis, evaluating 103 observational studies. All-cause mortality remained similarly high between 1950 and present (median SMR range 2.2-3.4). Africa had the highest SMR (median 5.4, range 2.6-7.2). SMRs were also higher for children <18 years (median 7.5, range 3.1-22.4) than adults (median 2.6, range 1.3-8.7), and for epilepsy-related (median 3.8, range 0.0-82.4,) than unrelated causes (median 1.7, range 0.7-17.6). Structural brain disease conferred the greatest risk for all-cause mortality (SMR range 24.0-41.5). Common epilepsy-related causes included alcohol, drowning, pneumonia, and suicide. In secondary analysis of nine additional systematic reviews, epilepsy-related death risk factors were reported for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), drowning and suicide.

CONCLUSIONS

Premature all-cause mortality remains a major problem in PWE globally, particularly in children and young adults, with most being epilepsy-related and potentially preventable. SUDEP is only one of several other common and important epilepsy-related causes of death.

Severity Assessment in CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder

BACKGROUND

Pathologic mutations in cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 cause CDKL5 deficiency disorder, a genetic syndrome associated with severe epilepsy and cognitive, motor, visual, and autonomic disturbances. This disorder is a relatively common genetic cause of early-life epilepsy. A specific severity assessment is lacking, required to monitor the clinical course and needed to define the natural history and for clinical trial readiness.

METHODS

A severity assessment was developed based on clinical and research experience from the International Foundation for CDKL5 Research Centers of Excellence consortium and the National Institutes of Health Rett and Rett-Related Disorders Natural History Study consortium. An initial draft severity assessment was presented and reviewed at the annual CDKL5 Forum meeting (Boston, 2017). Subsequently it was iterated through four cycles of a modified Delphi process by a group of clinicians, researchers, industry, patient advisory groups, and parents familiar with this disorder until consensus was achieved. The revised version of the severity assessment was presented for review, comment, and piloting to families at the International Foundation for CDKL5 Research-sponsored family meeting (Colorado, 2018). Final revisions were based on this additional input.

RESULTS

The final severity assessment comprised 51 items that comprehensively describe domains of epilepsy; motor; cognition, behavior, vision, and speech; and autonomic functions. Parental ratings of therapy effectiveness and child and family functioning are also included.

CONCLUSIONS

A severity assessment was rapidly developed with input from multiple stakeholders. Refinement through ongoing validation is required for future clinical trials. The consensus methods employed for the development of severity assessment may be applicable to similar rare disorders.

Neurobehavioral problems in children with early-onset epilepsy: A population-based study

PURPOSE

Neurobehavioral problems (i.e., cognitive impairment/behavior problems) are a major challenge in childhood epilepsy. Yet there are limited data in children with early-onset epilepsy (CWEOE; onset ≤4 years), the period in which the incidence of childhood epilepsy is highest. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, spectrum, and risk factors for neurobehavioral problems CWEOE.

METHODS

This prospective, population-based, case-controlled study identified children with newly diagnosed early-onset epilepsy in South East Scotland using active multisource capture-recapture surveillance (May 2013 - June 2015). The CWEOE and controls completed an age-appropriate neurobehavioral assessment battery across seven domains: general cognitive ability (GCA), adaptive behavior, externalizing, internalizing, executive functioning, social functioning, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) risk.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine CWEOE were identified with an ascertainment of 98% (95% confidence interval [CI] 94, 103). Forty-six (78% [95% CI 65.9, 86.6]) CWEOE (27 male, median age 25.5, range 1-59, months) and 37 controls (18 male, median age 31.5, range 3-59, months) consented for study entry. The CWEOE were similar to controls in gender, age, prematurity, and family history of psychopathology, but not socioeconomic status (Fisher's exact test [FET] < .001). Neurobehavioral assessments were carried out a median of 2.97 (Interquartile range [IQR] 1.51-4.95) months post epilepsy diagnosis. More CWEOE (63% [95% CI 48.6, 75.5]) had neurobehavioral problems compared with controls (27% [95% CI 15.4, 43.0]); p < 0.01. This observation was independent of socioeconomic status. Multidimensional problems were prevalent in CWEOE with 43% having two or more different domain-level problems; GCA impairment, adaptive behavior, internalizing, social functioning, and ASD risk were particularly marked. Risk factors varied by domain.

DISCUSSION

This novel study using comprehensive psychometric assessments found that neurobehavioral problems in CWEOE were detectable, common, and multidimensional. The degree of cooccurrence implies that problems are the norm, and multidimensional screening should be considered at epilepsy onset. The findings could aid policy development on health and educational provision in CWEOE.

Trends in epilepsy admissions in children, 1981-2013: population-based observational study using the Scottish national hospital discharge database

OBJECTIVE

To examine trends in epilepsy admissions in children from 1981 to 2013.

DESIGN

Repeated cross-sectional, population-based study.

SETTING

Scotland.

PATIENTS

We identified admissions among children between 1981 and 2013 inclusive. Epilepsy admissions were identified from the Scottish national hospital discharge database by using relevant diagnostic codes. Primary epilepsy admissions (PEAs) were those with epilepsy as the primary discharge diagnosis, or convulsions as the primary diagnosis but with epilepsy as secondary diagnosis. All other epilepsy admissions were secondary epilepsy admissions (SEAs).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Trends in annual epilepsy and non-epilepsy admission rates, as well as sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, length of stay and readmissions of epilepsy admissions.

RESULTS

57 031 epilepsy and 3 863 809 non-epilepsy admissions were available for analysis. Overall, epilepsy and non-epilepsy admissions increased, with a greater increase in epilepsy admissions (interaction Χ² test statistic 252, p<0.00001). Elective epilepsy admissions, unlike elective non-epilepsy admissions, continually increased, but emergency epilepsy admissions increased until 2000 and showed only minor fluctuations thereafter. Increase in SEAs was more marked than PEAs (interaction Χ² test statistic 627, p<0.0001). 48% of epilepsy admissions were to children's hospitals. No substantial trends were apparent in age, gender or deprivation distribution of epilepsy admissions. There was a clear trend towards shorter length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood epilepsy admissions are increasing, at a faster rate than non-epilepsy admissions, and have changed towards shorter, more elective admissions. Many will not be to children's hospitals, and the primary reason will often not be because of epilepsy/convulsions. More, not less, epilepsy resources are needed.

Accuracy and utility of using administrative healthcare databases to identify people with epilepsy: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

In an increasingly digital age for healthcare around the world, administrative data have become rich and accessible tools for potentially identifying and monitoring population trends in diseases including epilepsy. However, it remains unclear (1) how accurate administrative data are at identifying epilepsy within a population and (2) the optimal algorithms needed for administrative data to correctly identify people with epilepsy within a population. To address this knowledge gap, we will conduct a novel systematic review of all identified studies validating administrative healthcare data in epilepsy identification. We provide here a protocol that will outline the methods and analyses planned for the systematic review.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The systematic review described in this protocol will be conducted to follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE and Embase will be searched for studies validating administrative data in epilepsy published from 1975 to current (01 June 2018). Included studies will validate the International Classification of Disease (ICD), Ninth Revision (ICD-9) onwards (ie, ICD-9 code 345 and ICD-10 codes G40-G41) as well as other non-ICD disease classification systems used, such as Read Codes in the UK. The primary outcome will be providing pooled estimates of accuracy for identifying epilepsy within the administrative databases validated using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. Heterogeneity will be assessed using the I² statistic and descriptive analyses used where this is present. The secondary outcome will be the optimal administrative data algorithms for correctly identifying epilepsy. These will be identified using multivariable logistic regression models. 95% confidence intervals will be quoted throughout. We will make an assessment of risk of bias, quality of evidence, and completeness of reporting for included studies.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations and in press releases.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION

CRD42017081212.

Brain-related comorbidities in boys and men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A descriptive study

AIM

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is more than a muscle disease since there is a higher prevalence of neuropsychological comorbidities. Similarly, the prevalence of epilepsy is increased. Given the nowadays-increasing interest in brain-related comorbidities in DMD, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between DMD, epilepsy, and associated neurodevelopmental disorders in an international sample of DMD patients.

METHOD

Using a questionnaire-based study we investigated the occurrence of self/by-proxy reported brain-related comorbidities in a group of 228 DMD patients. We evaluated the presence of epilepsy and other brain-related comorbidities, but also the specific mutation in the dystrophin gene. With respect to epilepsy, all individually reported epilepsy cases as based on the questionnaire results including information provided on epilepsy treatment, EEG abnormalities, and a description of how a typical seizure would look like, were independently and blindly re-assessed by two external paediatric neurologists (Cohen's kappa of 0.85).

RESULTS

Based on the latter, 18 (7.9%) DMD patients were considered to have epilepsy. In patients with both DMD and epilepsy, certain other brain-related comorbidities (i.e. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders and sleep disorders) were significantly more prevalent.

CONCLUSION

This study is supportive of a high occurrence of epilepsy and other brain-related comorbidities in DMD. Furthermore this study shows for the first time that the frequency of some of these disorders appear to be further increased when epilepsy is present next to DMD. As this study is limited by the self/by proxy setup and the lack of response rates, future studies should elucidate the true incidence of the (triangular) cooccurrence between epilepsy, neurodevelopmental deficits, and DMD.

Long-term behavioural outcomes after paediatric convulsive status epilepticus: a population-based cohort study

AIM

To describe behavioural and psychiatric outcomes of children within 10 years of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE).

METHOD

Children originally identified by the population-based North London Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Childhood Surveillance Study were followed-up between July 2009 and February 2013. They were grouped into epilepsy- and non-epilepsy-related CSE, and compared with population norms and healthy controls using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire; and the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham questionnaire. Children who scored above recommended clinical cut-offs on any scale were invited for a neuropsychiatric assessment. Regression models were fitted to identify clinically relevant covariates associated with behavioural outcomes.

RESULTS

At a mean follow-up of 8.1 years post-CSE, 28% of enrolled children were found to have a psychiatric disorder. Children with epilepsy-related CSE scored higher than norms on all scales and children with non-epilepsy-related CSE scored higher than norms on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire. Presence of seizures at baseline and recurrence of CSE was associated with worse outcomes in the group with epilepsy. Intellectual abilities were associated with behavioural outcomes in all participants.

INTERPRETATION

A large proportion of children manifest behavioural issues 8 years after CSE. The present data highlight the need for behavioural screening in children with neurodevelopmental impairments post-CSE.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

Eight years post convulsive status epilepticus (CSE), 37% of parents report behavioural issues. Of enrolled children, 28% were found to have a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual mental disorder. Intellectual abilities are strongly associated with behavioural outcomes in children post-CSE.

Cognitive impairment in early onset epilepsy is associated with reduced left thalamic volume

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate whether reduction of thalamic volumes in children with early onset epilepsy (CWEOE) is associated with cognitive impairment.

METHODS

This is a nested case-control study including a prospectively recruited cohort of 76 children with newly-diagnosed early onset epilepsy (onset <5years age) and 14 healthy controls presenting to hospitals within NHS Lothian and Fife. Quantitative volumetric analysis of subcortical structures was performed using volumetric T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and correlated with the results of formal neurocognitive and clinical assessment. False discovery rate was used to correct for multiple comparisons as appropriate with q<0.05 used to define statistical significance.

RESULTS

Age, gender, and intracranial volume (ICV)-adjusted left thalamic volumes were significantly reduced in CWEOE with cognitive impairment compared to CWEOE without impairment (5295mm³ vs 6418mm³, q=0.008) or healthy controls (5295mm³ vs 6410mm³, q<0.001). The differences in left thalamic volume remained if gray matter or cortical/cerebellar volumes were used as covariates rather than ICV (q<0.05). The degree of volume reduction correlated with the severity of cognitive impairment (q=0.048).

SIGNIFICANCE

Reduced left thalamic volume may be a biomarker for cognitive impairment in CWEOE and could help inform the need for further formal cognitive evaluations and interventions.

Parent- and Teacher-Reported Symptoms of ADHD in School-Aged Children With Active Epilepsy: A Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVE

Provide data on the distribution of parent- and teacher-reported symptoms of ADHD in childhood epilepsy and describe coexisting cognitive and behavioral disorders in children with both epilepsy and ADHD.

METHOD

Eighty-five (74% of those eligible) children (5-15 years) in a population-based sample with active epilepsy underwent psychological assessment. The ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) scale was completed by parents ( n = 69) and teachers ( n = 67) of participating children with an IQ > 34. ADHD was diagnosed with respect to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.).

RESULTS

Parents reported significantly more symptoms of ADHD than teachers ( p < .001). Symptoms of inattention were more commonly reported than symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity ( p < .001). Neurobehavioral comorbidity was similar in those with ADHD and non-ADHD with the exception of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD), which were more common in those with both epilepsy and ADHD.

CONCLUSION

Symptoms of ADHD are very common in childhood epilepsy but prevalence is influenced by informant.

Long-term white matter tract reorganization following prolonged febrile seizures

Objective

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated acute white matter changes following prolonged febrile seizures (PFS), but their longer‐term evolution is unknown. We investigated a population‐based cohort to determine white matter diffusion properties 8 years after PFS.

Methods

We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and applied Tract‐Based Spatial Statistics for voxel‐wise comparison of white matter microstructure between 26 children with PFS and 27 age‐matched healthy controls. Age, gender, handedness, and hippocampal volumes were entered as covariates for voxel‐wise analysis.

Results

Mean duration between the episode of PFS and follow‐up was 8.2 years (range 6.7–9.6). All children were neurologically normal, and had normal conventional neuroimaging. On voxel‐wise analysis, compared to controls, the PFS group had (1) increased fractional anisotropy in early maturing central white matter tracts, (2) increased mean and axial diffusivity in several peripheral white matter tracts and late‐maturing central white matter tracts, and (3) increased radial diffusivity in peripheral white matter tracts. None of the tracts had reduced fractional anisotropy or diffusivity indices in the PFS group.

Significance

In this homogeneous, population‐based sample, we found increased fractional anisotropy in early maturing central white matter tracts and increased mean and axial diffusivity with/without increased radial diffusivity in several late‐maturing peripheral white matter tracts 8 years post‐PFS. We propose disruption in white matter maturation secondary to seizure‐induced axonal injury, with subsequent neuroplasticity and microstructural reorganization as a plausible explanation.

Families' experiences of living with pediatric epilepsy: A qualitative systematic review

Living with epilepsy in childhood has implications for the child and their family beyond the physical effects associated with epileptic seizures. Qualitative research has emerged, aiming to deliver a greater depth of understanding of the experiences of living with epilepsy from the perspectives of children with epilepsy, their parents, and their siblings. This review of qualitative research had three aims: first, to synthesize the demographic and epilepsy profiles of research participants in eligible studies in order to provide a clear picture of who are included and excluded when studying families' experiences; second, to present and discuss the methodological concerns and implications of research involving children with epilepsy; and third, to synthesize the findings arising from qualitative research with families in order to identify common themes across all relevant studies to date. Papers published in the English language prior to January 2016 were identified following a search of eight electronic databases: Embase, Psychinfo, Medline, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge, ASSIA, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. Studies were included if they involved a sample of children with epilepsy (up to 18years of age), parents, or siblings of children with epilepsy and used qualitative methods. Twenty-one studies were identified as eligible for inclusion in the review. Findings in relation to the three aims were the following: 1) Researchers were seeking an understanding of children's experiences directly from children rather than by parental proxy. However, children with learning disabilities were often excluded from research, meaning that their views are not being heard. Parental research was predominantly with mothers, and father experiences were not often accessed. There was very little research with siblings. 2) The rationale for and ethical implications of the choice of research methods adopted were not always clear, and not all studies gave adequate attention to the development of appropriate methods for research involving children. 3) Two dominant themes emerged across the studies: normalcy and children's agency. Cutting across many of the challenges that living with epilepsy presented was the desire (by parents and children) for a 'normal' childhood. The studies also highlighted that children have knowledge about their own condition and epilepsy more generally and that they are involved in managing the ways in which they cope with epilepsy, both in terms of seizure prevention and managing their relations with others, particularly peers. Future research should ensure that appropriate design, data collection, and analytic strategies are adopted to facilitate the participation of all family members. Enhancing the quality of the research will, in turn, optimize validity and opportunities for the translation of findings into better health, education, and social practices to improve care for children and their families affected by epilepsy.

Factors associated with quality of life in active childhood epilepsy: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL), rather than just reducing seizures, should be the principal goal in comprehensive management of childhood epilepsy. There is a lack of population-based data on predictors of HRQOL in childhood epilepsy.

METHODS

The Children with Epilepsy in Sussex Schools (CHESS) study is a prospective, population-based study involving school-aged children (5-15 years) with active epilepsy (on one or more AED and/or had a seizure in the last year) in a defined geographical area in the UK. Eighty-five of 115 (74% of eligible population) children underwent comprehensive psychological assessment including measures of cognition, behaviour, and motor functioning. Parents of the children completed the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE).Clinical data on eligible children was extracted using a standardised pro forma. Linear regression analysis was undertaken to identify factors significantly associated with total Quality of Life in this population.

RESULTS

Factors independently significantly associated (p < .05) with total QOLCE scores were seizures before 24 months, cognitive impairment (IQ < 85), anxiety, and parent reported school attendance difficulty. These factors were also significantly associated with total QOLCE when children with IQ < 50 were excluded from analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of factors associated with parent reported HRQOL in active childhood epilepsy are related to neurobehavioural and/or psychosocial aspects of the condition.

Convulsive status epilepticus and health-related quality of life in children with epilepsy

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to examine the association between convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) during a 24-month follow-up in a multisite incident cohort of children with epilepsy.

METHODS

Data were collected in the Health-Related Quality of Life Study in Children with Epilepsy Study from 374 families of children with newly diagnosed epilepsy. The Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) Questionnaire was used to evaluate parent-reported child HRQL. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the relationship between CSE and HRQL at 24 months postepilepsy. A total of 359 families completed the 24-month assessment.

RESULTS

Twenty-two children (6.1%) had experienced CSE during the follow-up. Children with and without CSE were similar, except a larger proportion of children with CSE had partial seizures (p < 0.001). Controlling for clinical, demographic, and family characteristics, CSE was significantly associated with poorer HRQL (β = -4.65, p = 0.031). The final model explained 47% of the variance in QOLCE scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggested that not only do children with CSE have significantly poorer HRQL compared with their non-CSE counterparts, but that this factor is independent of the effects of demographic and clinical features known to affect HRQL.

Early developmental outcomes in children following convulsive status epilepticus: a longitudinal study

PURPOSE

Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is the most common pediatric neurologic emergency and is often associated with unfavorable neurodevelopmental outcomes. The early developmental trajectory of children following CSE has not been previously investigated, leaving a gap in our understanding of how these adverse long-term outcomes emerge.

METHODS

We prospectively recruited children aged between 1 and 42 months from a predefined geographic region of North London who had at least one episode of CSE and classified them as prolonged febrile seizures (PFS) or nonfebrile CSE. Neuropsychological and imaging investigations were conducted within 6 weeks of CSE (baseline) and were repeated a year later (follow-up). Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III and compared to normally developing children. Predictors of neurodevelopmental scores at baseline and follow-up were investigated using regression analyses.

KEY FINDINGS

Of the 54 children that underwent investigations a mean of 38 days following CSE, 27 had PFS (mean age 18.4 months) and 27 had nonfebrile CSE (mean age 15.5 months). In addition, 17 healthy controls were assessed (mean age 20.49 months). Children with nonfebrile CSE had a worse developmental outcome than children with PFS (p < 0.002), despite there being no differences in seizure characteristics. In contrast to expectations, the PFS group had a worse developmental outcome than controls (p = 0.002). There were no significant differences in performance from baseline to 1-year follow-up for the 70.4% of children who provided data. Seizure characteristics were not shown to be significant predictors of performance.

SIGNIFICANCE

CSE is associated with developmental impairments within 6 weeks of the acute event that continue to be present a year onward. This is also true of PFS cases that under-perform relative to controls despite mean scores within the clinically normal range. The absence of a change in performance from baseline to follow-up as well as the lack of a relationship between seizure characteristics and developmental outcomes supports the notion that premorbid abilities may be overshadowing any direct effects of CSE itself on outcome.

Recognition memory is impaired in children after prolonged febrile seizures

Children with a history of a prolonged febrile seizure show signs of acute hippocampal injury on magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, animal studies have shown that adult rats who suffered febrile seizures during development reveal memory impairments. Together, these lines of evidence suggest that memory impairments related to hippocampal injury may be evident in human children after prolonged febrile seizures. The current study addressed this question by investigating memory abilities in 26 children soon after a prolonged febrile seizure (median: 37.5 days) and compared their results to those of 37 normally developing children. Fifteen patients were reassessed at a mean of 12.5 months after their first assessment to determine the transiency of any observed effects. We used the visual paired comparison task to test memory abilities in our group, as this task does not depend on verbal abilities and also because successful performance on the task has been proven to depend on the presence of functional hippocampi. Our findings show that patients perform as well as controls in the absence of a delay between the learning phase and the memory test, suggesting that both groups are able to form representations of the presented stimulus. However, after a 5-min delay, patients' recognition memory is not different from chance, and comparison of patients and controls points to an accelerated forgetting rate in the prolonged febrile seizure group. The patients' performance was not related to the time elapsed from the acute event or the duration of the prolonged febrile seizure, suggesting that the observed effect is not a by-product of the seizure itself or a delayed effect of medication administered to terminate the seizure. By contrast, performance was related to hippocampal size; participants with the smallest mean hippocampal volumes revealed the biggest drop in performance from the immediate to the delayed paradigm. At follow-up, children were still showing deficiencies in recognizing a face after a 5-min delay. Similarly, this suggests that the observed memory impairments are not a transient effect of the prolonged febrile seizures. This is the first report of such impairments in humans, and it is clinically significant given the links between mesial temporal sclerosis and prolonged febrile seizures. The persistence of these impairments a year onwards signals the potential benefits of intervention in these children who run the risk of developing episodic memory deficits in later childhood.

Death within 8 years after childhood convulsive status epilepticus: a population-based study

The risk of long-term mortality and its predictors following convulsive status epilepticus in childhood are uncertain. We report mortality within 8 years after an episode of convulsive status epilepticus, and investigate its predictors from a paediatric, prospective, population-based study from north London, UK. In the current study, we followed-up a cohort previously ascertained during a surveillance study of convulsive status epilepticus in childhood. After determining the survival status of the cohort members, we defined cause of death as that listed on their death certificates. We estimated a standardized mortality ratio to compare mortality in our cohort with that expected in the reference population. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to investigate any association between the clinical and demographic factors at the time of status epilepticus and subsequent risk of death. The overall case fatality was 11% (95% confidence interval 7.5-16.2%); seven children died within 30 days of their episode of convulsive status epilepticus and 16 during follow-up. The overall mortality in our cohort was 46 times greater than expected in the reference population, and was predominantly due to higher mortality in children who had pre-existing clinically significant neurological impairments when they had their acute episode of convulsive status epilepticus. Children without prior neurological impairment who survived their acute episode of convulsive status epilepticus were not at a significantly increased risk of death during follow-up. There were no deaths in children following prolonged febrile convulsions and idiopathic convulsive status epilepticus. A quarter of deaths during follow-up were associated with intractable seizures/convulsive status epilepticus, and the rest died as a complication of their underlying medical condition. On regression analysis, presence of clinically significant neurological impairments prior to convulsive status epilepticus was the only independent risk factor for mortality. In conclusion, there is a high risk of death within 8 years following childhood convulsive status epilepticus but most deaths are not seizure related. Presence of pre-existing clinically significant neurological impairments at the time of convulsive status epilepticus is the main risk factor for mortality within 8 years after the acute episode. The attributable role of convulsive status epilepticus on mortality remains uncertain, but appears less than is generally perceived.

Socioeconomic deprivation independent of ethnicity increases status epilepticus risk

BACKGROUND

A higher incidence of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) has been reported in nonwhite compared to white populations. Socioeconomic factors can be intricately involved in observed ethnic "effects," and the importance of socioeconomic status on health conditions is widely recognized. Understanding the effect of socioeconomic factors on CSE would provide insights into etiology and management, leading to the development of novel prevention strategies.

METHODS

From a population-based UK study on childhood CSE, we tested the hypothesis that socioeconomic deprivation independent of ethnicity increases the risk of childhood CSE. Home postal codes were used to measure the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood in which patients lived relative to that of the borough in which the neighborhood was located. The child's ethnicity was reported by parent(s). Relationships between socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and incidence were investigated using Poisson regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 176 children were enrolled. The incidence of CSE in nonwhite children [18.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 13.7-23.3/100,000/year] was 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.4) times greater than for white children (10.5, 95% CI 7.9-13.1/100,000/year) (p < 0.0005). Socioeconomic deprivation and Asian ethnicity were independently associated with increased incidence. For each point increase in Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2004, there was a 1.03 cumulative increased relative risk (95% CI 1.01-1.06, p = 0.007). Asian children were 5.7 times (95% CI 1.7-18.9) more likely than white children to have a first-ever episode of CSE (p = 0.004). Socioeconomic and ethnicity effects were related to etiology of CSE.

INTERPRETATION

Ethnic and socioeconomic factors independently affect risk for prolonged febrile seizures and acute symptomatic CSE, but not for other types of childhood CSE.

Treatment of community-onset, childhood convulsive status epilepticus: a prospective, population-based study

BACKGROUND

Episodes of childhood convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) commonly start in the community. Treatment of CSE aims to minimise the length of seizures, treat the causes, and reduce adverse outcomes; however, there is a paucity of data on the treatment of childhood CSE. We report the findings from a systematic, population-based study on the treatment of community-onset childhood CSE.

METHODS

We collected data prospectively on children in north London, UK, who had episodes of CSE (ascertainment 62-84%). The factors associated with seizure termination after first-line and second-line therapies, episodes of CSE lasting for longer than 60 min, and respiratory depression were analysed with logistic regression. Analysis was per protocol, and adjustment was made for repeat episodes in individuals.

RESULTS

182 children of median age 3.24 years (range 0.16-15.98 years) were included in the North London Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Childhood Surveillance Study (NLSTEPSS) between May, 2002, and April, 2004. 61% (147) of 240 episodes were treated prehospital, of which 32 (22%) episodes were terminated. Analysis with multivariable models showed that treatment with intravenous lorazepam (n=107) in the accident and emergency department was associated with a 3.7 times (95% CI 1.7-7.9) greater likelihood of seizure termination than was treatment with rectal diazepam (n=80). Treatment with intravenous phenytoin (n=32) as a second-line therapy was associated with a 9 times (95% CI 3-27) greater likelihood of seizure termination than was treatment with rectal paraldehyde (n=42). No treatment prehospital (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.5) and more than two doses of benzodiazepines (OR 3.6, 1.9-6.7) were associated with episodes that lasted for more than 60 min. Treatment with more than two doses of benzodiazepines was associated with respiratory depression (OR 2.9, 1.4-6.1). Children with intermittent CSE arrived at the accident and emergency department later after seizure onset than children with continuous CSE did (median 45 min [range 11-514 min] vs 30 min [5-90 min]; p<0.0001, Mann-Whitney U test); for each minute delay from onset of CSE to arrival at the accident and emergency department there was a 5% cumulative increase in the risk of the episode lasting more than 60 min.

INTERPRETATION

These data add to the debate on optimum emergency treatment of childhood CSE and suggest that the current guidelines could be updated.

Outcome of convulsive status epilepticus: a review

The outcome of CSE in childhood depends mainly upon the cause but length of seizure may also be important

The epidemiology of convulsive status epilepticus in children: a critical review

There is ongoing debate regarding the most appropriate definition of status epilepticus. This depends upon the research question being asked. Based on the most widely used "30 min definition," the incidence of childhood convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) in developed countries is approximately 20/100,000/year, but will vary depending, among others, on socioeconomic and ethnic characteristics of the population. Age is a main determinant of the epidemiology of CSE and, even within the pediatric population there are substantial differences between older and younger children in terms of incidence, etiology, and frequency of prior neurological abnormalities or prior seizures. Overall, incidence is highest during the first year of life, febrile CSE is the single most common cause, around 40% of children will have previous neurological abnormalities and less than 15% will have a prior history of epilepsy. Outcome is mainly a function of etiology. However, the causative role of CSE itself on mesial temporal sclerosis and subsequent epilepsy or the influence of age, duration, or treatment on outcome of CSE remains largely unknown. Future studies should aim at clarifying these issues and identifying specific ethnic, genetic, or socioeconomic factors associated with CSE to pinpoint potential targets for its primary and secondary prevention.

Childhood convulsive status epilepticus: epidemiology, management and outcome

Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) in childhood is a medical emergency and its aetiology and outcome mean that it should be studied separately from adult CSE. The incidence in developed countries is between 17 and 23/100,000 with a higher incidence in younger children. Febrile CSE is the commonest single group with a good prognosis in sharp distinction to CSE related to central nervous system infections which have a high mortality. The aim of treatment is to intervene at 5 min and studies indicate that intravenous (i.v.) lorazepam may be a better first-line treatment than rectal diazepam and i.v. phenytoin a better second-line treatment than rectal paraldehyde. An epidemiological study strongly supports the development of prehospital treatment with buccal midazolam becoming a widely used but unlicensed option in the community. More than two doses of benzodiazepines increase the rate of respiratory depression without obvious benefit. The 1 year recurrence rate is 17% and the hospital mortality is about 3%.