Severe pediatric acute encephalopathy syndromes related to SARS-CoV-2

Background and objectives

To clarify whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection cause acute encephalopathy in children and which are the most common syndromes that cause them and what are the outcomes.

Methods

A nationwide web-based survey among all members of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology to identify pediatric patients aged < 18 years who developed acute encephalopathy in Japan between 1 January 2020 and 31 May 2022 associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction or antigen tests using pharyngeal swabs. Acute encephalopathy was defined as acute onset of impaired consciousness lasting > 24 h or an altered mental state; neurological symptoms arising within 2 weeks of onset of COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)/pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS); evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection; and reasonable exclusion of other diseases. Patients were divided into the known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndrome group and unexplained or unclassifiable acute encephalopathy group. Outcomes were assessed by pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) score at hospital discharge.

Results

Of the 3,802 society members, 217 representing institutions responded, and 39 patients with suspected acute encephalopathy were reported, of which 31 met inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 14 were diagnosed with known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndromes, with acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (five patients) being the most common. Five developed acute encephalopathy associated with MIS-C/PIMS. Among 31 patients, 9 (29.0%) had severe sequelae or died (PCPC ≥ 4). Two of three patients with encephalopathy with acute fulminant cerebral edema and two with hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome died. The PCPC scores were higher in the known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndrome group than in the unexplained or unclassifiable acute encephalopathy group (P < 0.01).

Discussion

Acute encephalopathy related to SARS-CoV-2 infection was demonstrated to be more severe than that caused by other viruses in Japan. Acute encephalopathy syndromes characterized by specific neuroradiological findings was associated with poor clinical outcomes.

Distinguishing Acute Encephalopathy with Biphasic Seizures and Late Reduced Diffusion from Prolonged Febrile Seizures by Acute Phase EEG Spectrum Analysis

BACKGROUND

To differentiate the features of electroencephalography (EEG) after status epileptics in febrile children with final diagnosis of either febrile seizure (FS) or acute encephalopathy for an early diagnosis.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data from 68 children who had status epilepticus and for whom EEGs were recorded within 120 h. These included subjects with a final diagnosis of FS (n = 20), epileptic status (ES; n = 11), acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD; n = 18), mild encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS; n = 7), other febrile encephalopathies (n = 10), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (n = 1), and intracranial bleeding (n = 1). Initially, all EEGs were visually assessed and graded, and correlation with outcome was explored. Representative EEG epochs were then selected for quantitative analyses. Furthermore, data from AESD (n = 7) and FS (n = 16) patients for whom EEG was recorded within 24 h were also compared.

RESULTS

Although milder and most severe grades of EEG correlated with neurological outcome, the outcome of moderate EEG severity group was variable and was not predictable from usual inspection. Frequency band analysis revealed that solid delta power was not significantly different among the five groups (AESD, MERS, FS, ES and control), and that MERS group showed the highest theta band power. The ratios of delta/alpha and (delta + theta)/(alpha + beta) band powers were significantly higher in the AESD group than in other groups. The alpha and beta band powers in EEGs within 24 h from onset were significantly lower in the AESD group. The band powers and their ratios showed earlier improvement towards 24 h in FS than in AESD.

CONCLUSION

Sequential EEG recording up to 24 h from onset appeared to be helpful for distinction of AESD from FS before emergence of the second phase of AESD.