ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to identify clinical and electroencephalographic features associated with refractoriness to the initial antiepileptic drug in typical benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS). MethodsA total of 87 children with typical BECTS were retrospectively reviewed in the analyses.The patients were subdivided into two groups:patients whose seizures were controlled with monotherapy, and those requiring two medications. 63 childrenachieved seizure-freedom with monotherapy, while 24 received two medications for seizure control. ResultsDiffusing foci at the follow-up EEG and delayed treatment (duration > 1 year) are two main risk factors associated with more refractory cases (P < 0.001). Delayed diagnosis (37.1%) and non-adherence to treatment (57.2%) contributed to delayed treatment. ConclusionsOur findings suggested that diffusing foci on EEG and delayed treatment are associated with more frequent seizures and refractoriness in BECTS. Diagnostic delays and non-adherence hindered timely care, which may represent opportunities for improved intervention.
Objective To investigate the changes of cognitive function of epileptic patients after antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) therapy. Methods Twenty eight cases of epileptic patients with new diagnosis and untreatment from March 2015 to February 2016 were collected. According to the seizure type, degree of attack and drug efficacy, patients were divided into three groups and treated with one of three AEDs, including Lamotrigine (LTG), Oxcarbazepine (OXC), and Sodium valproate (VPA). Among them, 11 were LTG group, 12 were OXC group and 5 were VPA group.Then the patients were followed up for 1 year. The clinical memory scale was used to analyze cognitive function of epileptic patients before and after therapy. Results Compared to 30 cases of healthy volunteers, the scores of memory quotient (P<0.01), directed memory (P<0.05), associative learning (P<0.05) and image free recall (P<0.01) of epileptic patients were obviously decreased before AEDs therapy.AEDs therapy reduced or controlled seizures in new diagnostic epileptic patients, and the total effective rate was 85.7%. In the clinical memory scale tests, the scores of memory quotient (P<0.01), directed memory (P<0.05), associative learning (P<0.05), portrait characteristics contact memory (P<0.05) were improved after therapy. The scores of image free recall and meaningless graphics recognition were also improved, but there was no statistical significance. Besides, there was a statistically significant improvement in the score of portrait characteristics contact memory after LTG treatment (P<0.05), and directed memory after VPA treatment (P<0.05). Conclusions Epileptic patients accompanied with cognitive deficits before drug intervention. Through standard AEDs treatment, seizures could be better controlled. The cognitive function of epileptic patients was not declined after short-term（within 1 year） intervention of LTG, OCX or VPA. Moreover some parts of the cognitive domain could be improved.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of levetiracetam (LEV) added on to usual care, in treating children refractory partial seizure epilepsy.MethodsWe searched the Cochrane library, EMBASE and PubMed between January 1998-January 2017, We systematically searched CNKI database and Wanfang data, Chinese biology medline and the manual retrieval related magazines.RevMan 5.3 statistical software for Meta analysis.ResultsAccording to the enrollment criteria, fourtrials were included involving 498 participants according to the intent-to-treat, 268 for LEV, and 230 for placebo groups.We assessed the following outcomes: 50% or greater seizure reduction, seizure freedom, adverse effects, proportion of dropouts and quality of life. There was no evidence of statistical heterogeneity between trials.We assessed outcomes by using a meta-analysis to calculate odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). For the 50% or greater reduction in focal seizure frequency outcome, the OR was significantly in favour of LEV [OR=2.94, 95% CI(1.99, 4.34)].Participants were significantly more likely in LEV groups than placebo groups to get seizure free[OR=5.31, 95% CI(2.49, 11.32)]. There was no significance between LEV groups and placebo groupsin the rate of Treatment withdrawal[OR=0.76, 95% CI(1.32, 1.82)]. Somnolence[OR=2.57, 95% CI(1.36, 4.86)]and changes in behaviour [OR=2.54, 95% CI(1.56, 4.14)] were significantly associated with LEV. Other adverse effects were not significantly associated with LEV in children.ConclusionThe existing evidence suggests that LEV add in treatment of children refractory epilepsy have definite curative effect, LEV long-term treatment effect is stable, good security, retention rate is higher, can be used in clinical further promotion.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the timing of the long-term antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) therapy in patients with stroke related seizures. MethodsWe enrolled 90 Patients with post-stroke seizures who diagnosed in neurology and epilepsy specialist clinic of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and followed up for at least 12 months from September 2014 to August 2016. The patients were divided into early-onset seizure group (occurring within 2 weeks of stroke) and late-onset seizure group (occurring after 2 weeks of stroke).The two groups were subdivided into treated and untreated group after the first seizure. ResultsThe patients were followed up for 12~96m (median 20m). 31 patients in ES group, 19 of which in treated group and 12 of which in untreated group. 59 patients in LS group, 36 of which in treated group and 23 of cases in untreated group. The recurrence rate of second seizures occurred in each group and the comparison between the subgroups in the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th mouth of follow-up as follows. 1 LS group compared with the group of ES, the recurrence rate of second seizures was high (25.81%~38.71% vs. 49.15%~69.49%), and there was statistical difference (P < 0.05). 2 The recurrence rate of ES in untreated group was lower than that in untreated LS group (16.77% 33.33% vs. 56.52% 73.91%), but only in 3m and 12m the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). 3 There was on statistically significant different in ES treated group compared to untreated group, LS treated group compared to untreated group, ES treated group compared to LS treated group (P > 0.05). Both in group of ES and LS, The ratio of seizure recurred patients at different time points during follow-up period was highest at the time of 3m, 3 6m followed, within six months respectively as high as 91.67% and 76.59%. ConclusionOnly one early-onset seizure after stroke can be suspended long-term AEDs treatment, once it recurred that indicates the need for treatment. However, the recurrence rate of late-onset seizure was higher than that of early-onset seizure and it should be given long term AEDs treatment after the first seizure.
PurposeTo analyze the effect of medication withdraw (MW) on long-term electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring in children who need preoperative assessment for refractory epilepsy.MethodsRetrospective analysis was performed on the data of preoperative long-term EEG monitoring of children with refractory epilepsy who needed preoperative evaluation in the Pediatric Epilepsy Center of Peking University First Hospital from August 2018 to December 2019. Monitoring duration: at least three habitual seizures were detected, or the monitoring duration were as long as 10 days. MW protocol was according to the established plan.ResultsA total of 576 children (median age 4.4 years) required presurgical ictal EEGs, and 75 (75/576, 13.0%) needed MW for ictal EEGs. Among the 75 cases, 38 were male and 37 were female. The age range was from 15 months to 17 years (median age: 7.0 years). EEG and clinical data of with 65 children who strictly obey the MW protocol were analyzed. The total monitoring duration range was from 44.1 h (about 2 days) to 241.8 h (about 10 days)(median: 118.9 h (about 5 days)). Interictal EEG features before MW were including focal interictal epileptiform discharge (IED) in 39 cases (39/65, 60%), focal and generalized IED in 2 cases (2/65, 3.1%), multifocal IED in 20 cases (20/65, 30.7%), multifocal and generalized IED in 2 cases (2/65, 3.1%), and no IED in 2 cases (2/65, 3.1%). After MW, 18 cases (18/65, 27.7%) had no change in IED and the other 47 cases had changes of IED after MW. And IEDs in 46 cases (46/65, 70.8%) were aggravated, and IED was decreased in 1 case. The pattern of aggravated IED was original IED increasement, in 41 cases (41/46, 89.1%), and 5 cases (5 /46, 10.9%) had generalized IED which was not detected before MW. Of the 46 patients with IED exacerbations, 87.3% appeared within 3 days after MW. Habitual seizures were detected in 56 cases (86.2%, 56/65) after MW, and within 3 days of MW in 80.4% cases. Eight patients (14.3%) had secondary bilateral-tonic seizure (BTCS), of which only 1 patient had no BTCS in his habitual seizures. In 56 cases, 94.6% (53/56) had seizures after MW of two kinds of AEDs.Conclusions① In this group, thirteen percent children with intractable epilepsy needed MW to obtain ictal EEG; ② Most of them (86.2%) could obtain ictal EEG by MW. The IED and ictal EEG after MW were still helpful for localization of epileptogenic zone; ③ Most of the patients can obtain ictal EEG within 3 days after MW or after MW of two kinds of AEDs;4. The new secondary generalization was extremely rare.
ObjectiveUsing retrospective study to analyze the data of 112 patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) and investigate the clinical characteristics and provide some clinical experience in treatment. MethodsWe collected the medical records of 112 cases of BECTS children in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University of children's clinics from January 2011 to December 2012. According to whether taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) treatment regularly, the 112 cases with BECTS was divided into the treated group and the non-treated group, then analyzed the clinical characteristics between the two groups retrospectively, including age of onset, single episode duration, frequency of seizure, pattern of seizure and EEG performances. ResultsThrough regular AEDs treatment, the duration of a single attack was shortened, generalized tonic-clonic seizure(GTCS) was decreased significantly in the treatment group (P < 0.05). For patients whose seizure frequency was≥3 times/3 months, AEDs could effectively control or reduce their seizure frequency (P < 0.05), while AEDs had no obvious effect on the seizure frequency of those whose seizure frequency was≤2 times/3 months (P > 0.05). In the treatment group, 29 cases whose age < 7 controlled their epilepsy attacks after taking AEDs for average of 13.76 months, while 35 cases whose age≥7 controlled their epilepsy attacks after taking AEDs for average of 6.36 months. Conclusion①BECTS patients with a long duration of a single attack and seizure frequency more than 3 times/3 months could be effectively controlled after receiving early AEDs treatment.②The younger age of onset (< 7 years old) required longer AEDs treatment to control seizures.
ObjectiveAnalysis prophylactic anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) therapy in patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy (BTE) to observe whether seizures occurance, frequency will decrease, and the adverse reactions risk assessment of the patient's after using AEDs in 3 months and 12 month. MethodsRetrospective analysis of the cases and follow-up data of patients with the diagnosis of brain tumors in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in June 2011 to February 2015. Through the strict inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria review, the sixty-eight standard patients were divided into two groups:treatment group (44 cases) and control group (24 cases), and compared in the incidence of epilepsy and seizure frequency two groups of patients, and observe the adverse reactions after using AEDs. And analyzed the outcome of patients with brain tumors at 3 months and 2 months. ResultsThrough at least 1 year follow up, compared the data of patients in the two groups with seizure incidence at 3 months and with seizures frequency≥3 times at 12 months, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).In the treatment group, however, 7 patients experienced mild adverse reactions, such as dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, mild white blood cell reduction, mild liver damage, menstrual cycle changes, mental and behavioral abnormalities, etc.A patient discontinued due to mental disorder, and a patient change AEDs due to menstrual cycle change. All patients had no serious adverse reactions. Conclusions①prophylactic use of AEDs can significantly reduce the incidence of seizures at 3 months; ②Although prophylactic use of AEDs did not reduce the incidence of seizures at 12 months, but can reduce the frequency of seizures; ③The risk of adverse reactions of prophylactic use of AEDs in patients with BTE is relatively low.
ObjectiveTo observe the children with idiopathic epilepsy who received AED therapy and seizure-free, withdrawal at least 1 year, and analyze the risk factors of seizure recurrence. In order to give better instructions for AED withdrawal of children with idiopathic epilepsy in pediatric department. MethodsChildren with idiopathic epilepsy who were seizure-free and had stopped AED treatment at least 1 year before the deadline of observation were collected from pediatric outpatient and inpatient department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2011 to January 2014. The following variables, derived from the case records were analyzed: sex, age at seizure onset, type of seizure, time period between the onset of the first seizure and start of treatment, number of seizures in the time period between the start of AED therapy and the last seizure, number of AEDs before remission, time period between the start of AED therapy and the last seizure, time period between the last seizure and withdrawal of AED treatment (seizure-free period, timing of AED withdrawal), time period between the start of AED withdrawal and total discontinuation(speed of withdrawal), EEG registered at the time of diagnosis, before AED withdrawal, during and after AED withdrawal, and the condition of recurrence, data analysed by multi-variate step-wise Cox regression model analysis. ResultsA total of 16(12.8%) children relapsed in a total number of 125 children with idiopathic epilepsy we collected; date evaluated by multi-variable analysis showed that the children suffering from seizure type of focal seizure, starting withdrawal after a seizure-free period of less than 3 years and with abnormal post-withdrawal EEG recording was associated with a higher risk of seizure recurrence. ConclusionsChildren with idiopathic epilepsy have a low risk of recurrence after AED withdrawal. Those who suffer from seizure type of focal seizure, start withdrawal after a seizure-free period of less than 3 years and with abnormal post-withdrawal EEG recording are associated with a higher risk of seizure recurrence.
Objective To investigate the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) with warfarin functions and blood coagulation system, to provide the reference for clinicians of the selection of AEDs under the combination therapy with warfarin. Methods Analyse the clinical data of the patient with symptomatic epilepsy from the Second Clinical Medical College of Guiyang University of Chinese Medicine on April 1, 2017, whom taking AEDs and warfarin at the same time, clear the drug adverse reactions, and analysed related literature. Results After the treatment with valproate, abnormal blood coagulation, a danger and emergency data appeared, so we stopped using warfarin immediately, and reduce the dosage of valproate gradually, insteadly, we used levetiracetam as antiepileptic therapy. Monitoring blood coagulation function, when it returned to normal, restart warfarin anticoagulant therapy. Conclusions When start antiepileptic treatment in relevant basic diseases of symptomatic epilepsy, for a variety of combination reactions, AEDs can affect the anticoagulant effect of warfarin, so we need to consider the interaction between drugs and avoid adverse reactions.
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the efficacy of steroids combined with antiepileptic drugs compared with alone antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of children with epileptic electrical status during sleep to provide evidence-based medical basis for its treatment.MethodsElectronic searches were maded in PubMed, Embase database, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang and the Chinese biomedical literature database for the literature about steroids combined with antiepileptic drugs compared with alone antiepileptic drugs in the treatment, and retrieval time is from January 1990 to October 2020. Two evaluators independently screened literature, extracted data, evaluated literature quality and risk of bias and checked each other. Meta analysis was performed by stata16.0 software.ResultsA total of 679 children with ESES were included in 10 studies, including 9 randomized controlled trials and 1 retrospective cohort study. Meta analysis results showed that there were statistically significant differences in clinical improvement rate [RR=1.31, 95%CI (1.21, 1.42), P<0.01], electroencephalogram discharge improvement rate [RR=1.35, 95%CI (1.25, 1.46), P<0.01] and cognitive intelligence score [SMD=1.19, 95%CI (0.80, 1.57), P<0.01] between steroids combined with antiepileptic drugs group and alone antiepileptic drugs group after 6 months follow-up. The incidence of adverse reactions in steroids combined with antiepileptic drugs group was higher than that in alone antiepileptic drugs group, and the difference was statistically significant [RR=4.13, 95%CI (1.06, 16.13), P<0.01]. All adverse reactions improved or disappeared after drug withdrawal.ConclusionCompared with alone antiepileptic drugs, steroids combined with antiepileptic drugs group has advantages in controlling epileptic seizures, improving electroencephalogram abnormalities and improving cognitive ability, and it is relatively safe.