A founder event causing a dominant childhood epilepsy survives 800 years through weak selective pressure.

Genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) is an autosomal dominant familial epilepsy syndrome characterized by distinctive phenotypic heterogeneity within families. The SCN1B c.363C>G (p.Cys121Trp) variant has been identified in independent, multi-generational families with GEFS+. Although the variant is present in population databases (at very low frequency), there is strong clinical, genetic, and functional evidence to support pathogenicity. Recurrent variants may be due to a founder event in which the variant has been inherited from a common ancestor. Here, we report evidence of a single founder event giving rise to the SCN1B c.363C>G variant in 14 independent families with epilepsy. A common haplotype was observed in all families, and the age of the most recent common ancestor was estimated to be approximately 800 years ago. Analysis of UK Biobank whole-exome-sequencing data identified 74 individuals with the same variant. All individuals carried haplotypes matching the epilepsy-affected families, suggesting all instances of the variant derive from a single mutational event. This unusual finding of a variant causing an autosomal dominant, early-onset disease in an outbred population that has persisted over many generations can be attributed to the relatively mild phenotype in most carriers and incomplete penetrance. Founder events are well established in autosomal recessive and late-onset disorders but are rarely observed in early-onset, autosomal dominant diseases. These findings suggest variants present in the population at low frequencies should be considered potentially pathogenic in mild phenotypes with incomplete penetrance and may be more important contributors to the genetic landscape than previously thought.

Morbidity and mortality risks associated with valproate withdrawal in young men and women with epilepsy.

Valproate is the most effective treatment for idiopathic generalised epilepsy. Current guidance precludes its use in women of childbearing potential, unless other treatments are ineffective or not tolerated, because of high teratogenicity. This risk was recently extended to men. New guidance will limit use both in men and women aged <55 years, resulting in withdrawal of valproate from men already taking it, as occurs for women. Whether there are risks of personal harm (including injury or death) associated with valproate withdrawal has not yet been quantified for men or women on valproate, meaning clinicians cannot reliably counsel either sex when discussing valproate withdrawal with them, despite that this concern may be at the forefront of patients' and clinicians' minds. We assessed whether there are any morbidity or mortality risks associated with valproate withdrawal in young men and women. We performed a retrospective cohort study of internationally derived electronic health data within the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network. Included were men and women aged 16-54 years with ≥1 epilepsy disease or symptom code between 01/12/2017-01/12/2018 and ≥2 valproate prescriptions over the preceding two years (01/01/2015-30/11/2017). 5-year propensity-matched risks of mortality and a range of morbidity outcomes were compared between those remaining on vs. withdrawn from valproate during the 01/12/2017-01/12/2018 recruitment period, regardless of whether switched to another antiseizure medication. Survival analysis was undertaken using Cox-proportional hazard models, generating hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). 8,991 men and 5,243 women taking valproate were recruited. 28% of men and 36% of women were subsequently withdrawn from valproate. Valproate withdrawal was associated with significantly increased risks of emergency department attendance (HRs overall: 1.236 (CI 1.159-1.319), men: 1.181 (CI 1.083-1.288), women: 1.242 (CI 1.125-1.371)), hospital admission (HRs overall: 1.160 (CI 1.081-1.246), men: 1.132 (CI 1.027-1.249), women: 1.147 (CI 1.033-1.274)), falls (HRs overall: 1.179 (CI 1.041-1.336), men: 1.298 (CI 1.090-1.546)), injuries (HRs overall: 1.095 (CI 1.021-1.174), men: 1.129 (CI 1.029-1.239)), burns (HRs overall: 1.592 (CI 1.084-2.337)), and new-onset depression (HRs overall 1.323 (CI 1.119-1.565), women: 1.359 (CI 1.074-1.720)). The risk of these outcomes occurring was 1-7% higher in those withdrawn from valproate than in those remaining on valproate. Overall, valproate withdrawal was not associated with increased mortality. These results may help patients and clinicians have a more informed discussion about personal safety when considering valproate withdrawal.

Epilepsy and the risk of adverse cardiovascular events: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epilepsy is associated with higher morbidity and mortality compared to people without epilepsy. We performed a retrospective cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort study to evaluate cardiovascular comorbidity and incident vascular events in people with epilepsy (PWE). METHODS: Data were extracted from the French Hospital National Database. PWE (n = 682,349) who were hospitalized between January 2014 and December 2022 were matched on age, sex, and year of hospitalization with 682,349 patients without epilepsy. Follow-up was conducted from the date of first hospitalization with epilepsy until the date of each outcome or date of last news in the absence of the outcome. Primary outcome was the incidence of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, ischaemic stroke (IS), new onset atrial fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (VT/VF), and cardiac arrest. RESULTS: A diagnosis of epilepsy was associated with higher numbers of cardiovascular risk factors and adverse cardiovascular events compared to controls. People with epilepsy had a higher incidence of all-cause death (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 2.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.67-2.72), cardiovascular death (IRR = 2.16, 95% CI = 2.11-2.20), heart failure (IRR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.25-1.28), IS (IRR = 2.08, 95% CI = 2.04-2.13), VT/VF (IRR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04-1.16), and cardiac arrest (IRR = 2.12, 95% CI = 2.04-2.20). When accounting for all-cause death as a competing risk, subdistribution hazard ratios for ischaemic stroke of 1.59 (95% CI = 1.55-1.63) and for cardiac arrest of 1.73 (95% CI = 1.58-1.89) demonstrated higher risk in PWE. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence and incident rates of cardiovascular outcomes were significantly higher in PWE. Targeting cardiovascular health could help reduce excess morbidity and mortality in PWE.

'Knowledge exchange' workshops to optimise development of a risk prediction tool to assist conveyance decisions for suspected seizures - Part of the Risk of ADverse Outcomes after a Suspected Seizure (RADOSS) project.

PURPOSE: Suspected seizures present challenges for ambulance services, with paramedics reporting uncertainty over whether or not to convey individuals to emergency departments. The Risk of ADverse Outcomes after a Suspected Seizure (RADOSS) project aims to address this by developing a risk assessment tool utilizing structured patient care record and dispatch data. It proposes a tool that would provide estimates of an individual's likelihood of death and/or recontact with emergency care within 3 days if conveyed compared to not conveyed, and the likelihood of an 'avoidable attendance' occurring if conveyed. Knowledge Exchange workshops engaged stakeholders to resolve key design uncertainties before model derivation. METHOD: Six workshops involved 26 service users and their significant others (epilepsy or nonepileptic attack disorder), and 25 urgent and emergency care clinicians from different English ambulance regions. Utilizing Nominal Group Techniques, participants shared views of the proposed tool, benefits and concerns, suggested predictors, critiqued outcome measures, and expressed functionality preferences. Data were analysed using Hamilton's Rapid Analysis. RESULTS: Stakeholders supported tool development, proposing 10 structured variables for predictive testing. Emphasis was placed on the tool supporting, not dictating, care decisions. Participants highlighted some reasons why RADOSS might struggle to derive a predictive model based on structured data alone and suggested some non-structured variables for future testing. Feedback on prediction timeframes for service recontact was received, along with advice on amending the 'avoidable attendance' definition to prevent the tool's predictions being undermined by potential overuse of certain investigations in hospital. CONCLUSION: Collaborative stakeholder engagement provided crucial insights that can guide RADOSS to develop a user-aligned, optimized tool.

Midbrain structure volume, estimated myelin and functional connectivity in idiopathic generalised epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Structural and functional neuroimaging studies often overlook lower basal ganglia structures located in and adjacent to the midbrain due to poor contrast on clinically acquired T1-weighted scans. Here, we acquired T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and resting-state fMRI scans to investigate differences in volume, estimated myelin content and functional connectivity of the substantia nigra (SN), subthalamic nuclei (SubTN) and red nuclei (RN) of the midbrain in IGE. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with IGE (23 refractory, 10 non-refractory) and 39 age and sex-matched healthy controls underwent MR imaging. Midbrain structures were automatically segmented from T2-weighted images and structural volumes were calculated. The estimated myelin content for each structure was determined using a T1-weighted/T2-weighted ratio method. Resting-state functional connectivity analysis of midbrain structures (seed-based) was performed using the CONN toolbox. RESULTS: An increased volume of the right RN was found in IGE and structural volumes of the right SubTN differed between patients with non-refractory and refractory IGE. However, no volume findings survived corrections for multiple comparisons. No myelin alterations of midbrain structures were found for any subject groups. We found functional connectivity alterations including significantly decreased connectivity between the left SN and the thalamus and significantly increased connectivity between the right SubTN and the superior frontal gyrus in IGE. CONCLUSIONS: We report volumetric and functional connectivity alterations of the midbrain in patients with IGE. We postulate that potential increases in structural volumes are due to increased iron deposition that impacts T2-weighted contrast. These findings are consistent with previous studies demonstrating pathophysiological abnormalities of the lower basal ganglia in animal models of generalised epilepsy.

Lamotrigine add-on therapy for drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of a Cochrane Review last updated in 2020. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, affecting 0.5% to 1% of the population. In nearly 30% of cases, epilepsy is resistant to currently available drugs. Pharmacological treatment remains the first choice to control epilepsy. Lamotrigine is a second-generation antiseizure medication. When used as an add-on (in combination with other antiseizure medications), lamotrigine can reduce seizures, but with some adverse effects. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the benefits and harms of add-on lamotrigine, compared with add-on placebo or no add-on treatment in people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. SEARCH METHODS: For this update, we searched the Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web) and MEDLINE (Ovid) on 3 October 2022 with no language restrictions. CRS Web includes randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials from PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the Specialised Registers of Cochrane Review Groups, including Epilepsy. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated add-on lamotrigine versus add-on placebo or no add-on treatment in people of any age with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. We used data from the first period of eligible cross-over trials. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: For this update, two review authors independently selected trials and extracted data. Our primary outcome was 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency. Our secondary outcomes were treatment withdrawal, adverse effects, cognitive effects, and quality of life. Primary analyses were by intention-to-treat. We performed sensitivity best- and worse-case analyses to account for missing outcome data. We calculated pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% Cls) for dichotomous outcomes. MAIN RESULTS: We identified no new studies for this update, so the results and conclusions of the review are unchanged. We included five parallel-group studies in adults or children, eight cross-over studies in adults or children, and one parallel study with a responder-enriched design in infants. In total, these 14 studies enroled 1806 eligible participants (38 infants, 199 children, 1569 adults). Baseline phases ranged from four to 12 weeks and treatment phases ranged from eight to 36 weeks. We rated 11 studies (1243 participants) at low overall risk of bias and three (697 participants) at unclear overall risk of bias due to lack of information on study design. Four studies (563 participants) reported effective blinding. Lamotrigine compared with placebo probably increases the likelihood of achieving 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency (RR 1.80, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.23; 12 trials, 1322 participants (adults and children); moderate-certainty evidence). There is probably little or no difference in risk of treatment withdrawal for any reason among people treated with lamotrigine versus people treated with placebo (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.37; 14 trials; 1806 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Lamotrigine compared with placebo is probably associated with a greater risk of ataxia (RR 3.34, 99% Cl 2.01 to 5.55; 12 trials; 1525 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), dizziness (RR 1.76, 99% Cl 1.28 to 2.43; 13 trials; 1768 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), nausea (RR 1.81, 99% CI 1.22 to 2.68; 12 studies, 1486 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and diplopia (RR 3.79, 99% Cl 2.15 to 6.68; 3 trials, 944 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). There is probably little or no difference in the risk of fatigue between lamotrigine and placebo (RR 0.82, 99% CI 0.55 to 1.22; 12 studies, 1552 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Lamotrigine as an add-on treatment for drug-resistant focal seizures is probably effective for reducing seizure frequency. Certain adverse effects (ataxia, dizziness, diplopia, and nausea) are probably more likely to occur with lamotrigine compared with placebo. There is probably little or no difference in the number of people who withdraw from treatment with lamotrigine versus placebo. The trials were of relatively short duration and provided no long-term evidence. In addition, some trials had few participants. Further trials are needed to assess the long-term effects of lamotrigine and to compare lamotrigine with other add-on drugs.

Immunomodulatory interventions for focal epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of an original Cochrane Review published in 2013 (Walker 2013). Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder affecting 0.5% to 1% of the population. Pharmacological treatment remains the first choice to control epilepsy. However, up to 30% of people do not respond to drug treatment, and therefore do not achieve seizure remission. Experimental and clinical evidence supports a role for inflammatory pathway activation in the pathogenesis of epilepsy which, if effectively targeted by immunomodulatory interventions, highlights a potentially novel therapeutic strategy. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of immunomodulatory interventions on seizures, adverse effect profile, cognition, and quality of life, compared to placebo controls, when used as additional therapy for focal epilepsy in children and adults. SEARCH METHODS: For the latest update, we searched the following databases on 11 November 2021: Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web) and Medline (Ovid) 1946 to 10 November 2021. CRS Web includes randomised or quasi-randomised, controlled trials from PubMed, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the Specialized Registers of Cochrane Review Groups including Epilepsy. We placed no language restrictions. We reviewed the bibliographies of retrieved studies to search for additional reports of relevant studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised placebo-controlled trials of add-on immunomodulatory drug interventions, in which an adequate method of concealment of randomisation was used. The studies were double-, single- or unblinded. Eligible participants were children (aged over 2 years) and adults with focal epilepsy. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by the Cochrane Collaboration. We assessed the following outcomes. 1. 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency. 2. Seizure freedom. 3. Treatment withdrawal for any reason. 4. Quality of life. 5. ADVERSE EFFECTS: We used an intention-to-treat (ITT) population for all primary analyses, and we presented results as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% Cl). MAIN RESULTS: We included three randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials on a total of 172 participants. All trials included children and adults over two years of age with focal epilepsy. Treatment phases lasted six weeks and follow-up from six weeks to six months. One of the three included trials described an adequate method of concealment of randomisation, whilst the other two trials were rated as having an unclear risk of bias due to lack of reported information around study design. Effective blinding of studies was reported in all three trials. All analyses were by ITT. One trial was sponsored by the manufacturer of an immunomodulatory agent and therefore was at high risk of funding bias. Immunomodulatory interventions were significantly more effective than placebo in reducing seizure frequency (risk ratio (RR) 2.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15 to 4.60; 3 studies, 172 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). For treatment withdrawal, there was insufficient evidence to conclude that people were more likely to discontinue immunomodulatory intervention than placebo (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.28 to 3.80; 3 studies, 172 participants; low-certainty evidence). The RR for adverse effects was 1.16 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.59; 1 study, 66 participants; low-certainty evidence). Certain adverse effects such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, and gastrointestinal disorders were more often associated with immunomodulatory interventions. There were little to no data on cognitive effects and quality of life. No important heterogeneity between studies was found for any of the outcomes. We judged the overall certainty of evidence (using the GRADE approach) as low to moderate due to potential attrition bias resulting from missing outcome data and imprecise results with wide confidence intervals. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Immunomodulatory interventions as add-on treatment for children and adults with focal epilepsy appear to be effective in reducing seizure frequency. It is not possible to draw any conclusions about the tolerability of these agents in children and adults with epilepsy. Further randomised controlled trials are needed.

Prognosis of adults and children following a first unprovoked seizure.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is clinically defined as two or more unprovoked epileptic seizures more than 24 hours apart. Given that, a diagnosis of epilepsy can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, it is imperative that clinicians (and people with seizures and their relatives) have access to accurate and reliable prognostic estimates, to guide clinical practice on the risks of developing further unprovoked seizures (and by definition, a diagnosis of epilepsy) following single unprovoked epileptic seizure. OBJECTIVES: 1. To provide an accurate estimate of the proportion of individuals going on to have further unprovoked seizures at subsequent time points following a single unprovoked epileptic seizure (or cluster of epileptic seizures within a 24-hour period, or a first episode of status epilepticus), of any seizure type (overall prognosis). 2. To evaluate the mortality rate following a first unprovoked epileptic seizure. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following databases on 19 September 2019 and again on 30 March 2021, with no language restrictions. The Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to March 29, 2021), SCOPUS (1823 onwards), ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). CRS Web includes randomized or quasi-randomized, controlled trials from PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the Specialized Registers of Cochrane Review Groups including Epilepsy. In MEDLINE (Ovid) the coverage end date always lags a few days behind the search date. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included studies, both retrospective and prospective, of all age groups (except those in the neonatal period (< 1 month of age)), of people with a single unprovoked seizure, followed up for a minimum of six months, with no upper limit of follow-up, with the study end point being seizure recurrence, death, or loss to follow-up. To be included, studies must have included at least 30 participants. We excluded studies that involved people with seizures that occur as a result of an acute precipitant or provoking factor, or in close temporal proximity to an acute neurological insult, since these are not considered epileptic in aetiology (acute symptomatic seizures). We also excluded people with situational seizures, such as febrile convulsions. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors conducted the initial screening of titles and abstracts identified through the electronic searches, and removed non-relevant articles. We obtained the full-text articles of all remaining potentially relevant studies, or those whose relevance could not be determined from the abstract alone and two authors independently assessed for eligibility. All disagreements were resolved through discussion with no need to defer to a third review author. We extracted data from included studies using a data extraction form based on the checklist for critical appraisal and data extraction for systematicreviews of prediction modelling studies (CHARMS). Two review authors then appraised the included studies, using a standardised approach based on the quality in prognostic studies (QUIPS) tool, which was adapted for overall prognosis (seizure recurrence). We conducted a meta-analysis using Review Manager 2014, with a random-effects generic inverse variance meta-analysis model, which accounted for any between-study heterogeneity in the prognostic effect. We then summarised the meta-analysis by the pooled estimate (the average prognostic factor effect), its 95% confidence interval (CI), the estimates of I² and Tau² (heterogeneity), and a 95% prediction interval for the prognostic effect in a single population at three various time points, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. Subgroup analysis was performed according to the ages of the cohorts included; studies involving all ages, studies that recruited adult only and those that were purely paediatric. MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-eight studies (involving 54 cohorts), with a total of 12,160 participants (median 147, range 31 to 1443), met the inclusion criteria for the review. Of the 58 studies, 26 studies were paediatric studies, 16 were adult and the remaining 16 studies were a combination of paediatric and adult populations. Most included studies had a cohort study design with two case-control studies and one nested case-control study. Thirty-two studies (29 cohorts) reported a prospective longitudinal design whilst 15 studies had a retrospective design whilst the remaining studies were randomised controlled trials. Nine of the studies included presented mortality data following a first unprovoked seizure. For a mortality study to be included, a proportional mortality ratio (PMR) or a standardised mortality ratio (SMR) had to be given at a specific time point following a first unprovoked seizure. To be included in the meta-analysis a study had to present clear seizure recurrence data at 6 months, 12 months or 24 months. Forty-six studies were included in the meta-analysis, of which 23 were paediatric, 13 were adult, and 10 were a combination of paediatric and adult populations. A meta-analysis was performed at three time points; six months, one year and two years for all ages combined, paediatric and adult studies, respectively. We found an estimated overall seizure recurrence of all included studies at six months of 27% (95% CI 24% to 31%), 36% (95% CI 33% to 40%) at one year and 43% (95% CI 37% to 44%) at two years, with slightly lower estimates for adult subgroup analysis and slightly higher estimates for paediatric subgroup analysis. It was not possible to provide a summary estimate of the risk of seizure recurrence beyond these time points as most of the included studies were of short follow-up and too few studies presented recurrence rates at a single time point beyond two years. The evidence presented was found to be of moderate certainty. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of the data (moderate-certainty of evidence), mainly relating to clinical and methodological heterogeneity we have provided summary estimates for the likely risk of seizure recurrence at six months, one year and two years for both children and adults. This provides information that is likely to be useful for the clinician counselling patients (or their parents) on the probable risk of further seizures in the short-term whilst acknowledging the paucity of long-term recurrence data, particularly beyond 10 years.

Monotherapy treatment of epilepsy in pregnancy: congenital malformation outcomes in the child.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to certain anti-seizure medications (ASMs) is associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations (MCM). The majority of women with epilepsy continue taking ASMs throughout pregnancy and, therefore, information on the potential risks associated with ASM treatment is required. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of prenatal exposure to ASMs on the prevalence of MCM in the child. SEARCH METHODS: For the latest update of this review, we searched the following databases on 17 February 2022: Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web), MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 to February 16, 2022), SCOPUS (1823 onwards), and ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). No language restrictions were imposed. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included prospective cohort controlled studies, cohort studies set within pregnancy registries, randomised controlled trials and epidemiological studies using routine health record data. Participants were women with epilepsy taking ASMs; the two control groups were women without epilepsy and untreated women with epilepsy. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Five authors independently selected studies for inclusion. Eight authors completed data extraction and/or risk of bias assessments. The primary outcome was the presence of an MCM. Secondary outcomes included specific types of MCM. Where meta-analysis was not possible, we reviewed included studies narratively. MAIN RESULTS: From 12,296 abstracts, we reviewed 283 full-text publications which identified 49 studies with 128 publications between them. Data from ASM-exposed pregnancies were more numerous for prospective cohort studies (n = 17,963), than data currently available for epidemiological health record studies (n = 7913). The MCM risk for children of women without epilepsy was 2.1% (95% CI 1.5 to 3.0) in cohort studies and 3.3% (95% CI 1.5 to 7.1) in health record studies. The known risk associated with sodium valproate exposure was clear across comparisons with a pooled prevalence of 9.8% (95% CI 8.1 to 11.9) from cohort data and 9.7% (95% CI 7.1 to 13.4) from routine health record studies. This was elevated across almost all comparisons to other monotherapy ASMs, with the absolute risk differences ranging from 5% to 9%. Multiple studies found that the MCM risk is dose-dependent. Children exposed to carbamazepine had an increased MCM prevalence in both cohort studies (4.7%, 95% CI 3.7 to 5.9) and routine health record studies (4.0%, 95% CI 2.9 to 5.4) which was significantly higher than that for the children born to women without epilepsy for both cohort (RR 2.30, 95% CI 1.47 to 3.59) and routine health record studies (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.64); with similar significant results in comparison to the children of women with untreated epilepsy for both cohort studies (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.96) and routine health record studies (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.83). For phenobarbital exposure, the prevalence was 6.3% (95% CI 4.8 to 8.3) and 8.8% (95% CI 0.0 to 9277.0) from cohort and routine health record data, respectively. This increased risk was significant in comparison to the children of women without epilepsy (RR 3.22, 95% CI 1.84 to 5.65) and those born to women with untreated epilepsy (RR 1.64, 95% CI 0.94 to 2.83) in cohort studies; data from routine health record studies was limited. For phenytoin exposure, the prevalence of MCM was elevated for cohort study data (5.4%, 95% CI 3.6 to 8.1) and routine health record data (6.8%, 95% CI 0.1 to 701.2). The prevalence of MCM was higher for phenytoin-exposed children in comparison to children of women without epilepsy (RR 3.81, 95% CI 1.91 to 7.57) and the children of women with untreated epilepsy (RR 2.01. 95% CI 1.29 to 3.12); there were no data from routine health record studies. Pooled data from cohort studies indicated a significantly increased MCM risk for children exposed to lamotrigine in comparison to children born to women without epilepsy (RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.39); with a risk difference (RD) indicating a 1% increased risk of MCM (RD 0.01. 95% CI 0.00 to 0.03). This was not replicated in the comparison to the children of women with untreated epilepsy (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.63), which contained the largest group of lamotrigine-exposed children (> 2700). Further, a non-significant difference was also found both in comparison to the children of women without epilepsy (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.64) and children born to women with untreated epilepsy (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.28) from routine data studies. For levetiracetam exposure, pooled data provided similar risk ratios to women without epilepsy in cohort (RR 2.20, 95% CI 0.98 to 4.93) and routine health record studies (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.17 to 2.66). This was supported by the pooled results from both cohort (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.28) and routine health record studies (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.71) when comparisons were made to the offspring of women with untreated epilepsy. For topiramate, the prevalence of MCM was 3.9% (95% CI 2.3 to 6.5) from cohort study data and 4.1% (0.0 to 27,050.1) from routine health record studies. Risk ratios were significantly higher for children exposed to topiramate in comparison to the children of women without epilepsy in cohort studies (RR 4.07, 95% CI 1.64 to 10.14) but not in a smaller comparison to the children of women with untreated epilepsy (RR 1.37, 95% CI 0.57 to 3.27); few data are currently available from routine health record studies. Exposure in utero to topiramate was also associated with significantly higher RRs in comparison to other ASMs for oro-facial clefts. Data for all other ASMs were extremely limited. Given the observational designs, all studies were at high risk of certain biases, but the biases observed across primary data collection studies and secondary use of routine health records were different and were, in part, complementary. Biases were balanced across the ASMs investigated, and it is unlikely that the differential results observed across the ASMs are solely explained by these biases. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Exposure in the womb to certain ASMs was associated with an increased risk of certain MCMs which, for many, is dose-dependent.

ANTECEDENTES: La exposición prenatal a determinados fármacos anticonvulsivos (FAC) se asocia con un mayor riesgo de malformaciones congénitas graves (MCG). La mayoría de las mujeres con epilepsia continúan tomando FAC durante todo el embarazo y, por lo tanto, se requiere información sobre los riesgos potenciales asociados con el tratamiento con FAC. OBJETIVOS: Evaluar los efectos de la exposición prenatal a los FAC sobre la prevalencia de MCG en el niño. MÉTODOS DE BÚSQUEDA: Para la última actualización de esta revisión se hicieron búsquedas el 17 de febrero de 2022 en las siguientes bases de datos: Registro Cochrane de Estudios (Cochrane Register of Studies [CRS Web]), MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 hasta el 16 de febrero de 2022), SCOPUS (1823 en adelante) y ClinicalTrials.gov , Plataforma de registros internacionales de ensayos clínicos (ICTRP). No se impusieron restricciones de idioma. CRITERIOS DE SELECCIÓN: Se incluyeron estudios prospectivos controlados de cohortes, estudios de cohortes establecidos dentro de registros de embarazos, ensayos controlados aleatorizados y estudios epidemiológicos que utilizaron datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos. Las participantes fueron mujeres con epilepsia que tomaban FAC; los dos grupos de control fueron mujeres sin epilepsia y mujeres con epilepsia que no recibían tratamiento. OBTENCIÓN Y ANÁLISIS DE LOS DATOS: Cinco autores seleccionaron de forma independiente los estudios para inclusión. Ocho autores completaron la extracción de los datos y las evaluaciones del riesgo de sesgo. El desenlace principal fue la presencia de una MCG. Los desenlaces secundarios incluyeron tipos específicos de MCG. Cuando no fue posible realizar un metanálisis, los estudios incluidos se examinaron de forma narrativa. RESULTADOS PRINCIPALES: De 12 296 resúmenes, se revisaron 283 publicaciones a texto completo que identificaron 49 estudios con 128 publicaciones entre ellos. Los datos de los embarazos expuestos a FAC fueron más numerosos en el caso de los estudios prospectivos de cohortes (n = 17 963), que los datos actualmente disponibles de estudios de registros sanitarios epidemiológicos (n = 7913). El riesgo de MCG en los hijos de mujeres sin epilepsia fue del 2,1% (IC del 95%: 1,5 a 3,0) en los estudios de cohortes y del 3,3% (IC del 95%: 1,5 a 7,1) en los estudios de registros sanitarios. El riesgo conocido asociado con la exposición al valproato de sodio fue evidente en todas las comparaciones, con una prevalencia agrupada del 9,8% (IC del 95%: 8,1 a 11,9) a partir de los datos de los estudios de cohortes y del 9,7% (IC del 95%: 7,1 a 13,4) a partir de los estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos. Este fue elevado en casi todas las comparaciones con otros FAC como monoterapia, con diferencias absolutas de riesgo que variaron entre el 5% y el 9%. Múltiples estudios han constatado que el riesgo de MCG depende de la dosis. Los niños expuestos a la carbamazepina tuvieron una mayor prevalencia de MCG tanto en los estudios de cohortes (4,7%; IC del 95%: 3,7 a 5,9) como en los estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos (4,0%; IC del 95%: 2,9 a 5,4), que fue significativamente superior a la de los niños nacidos de mujeres sin epilepsia tanto en los estudios de cohortes (RR 2,30; IC del 95%: 1,47 a 3,59) como en los estudios de historias clínicas habituales (RR 1,14; IC del 95%: 0,80 a 1,64), con resultados significativos similares en comparación con los hijos de mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento tanto en los estudios de cohortes (RR 1,44; IC del 95%: 1,05 a 1,96) como en los estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos (RR 1,42; IC del 95%: 1,10 a 1,83). Para la exposición al fenobarbital, la prevalencia fue del 6,3% (IC del 95%: 4,8 a 8,3) y del 8,8% IC del 95%: 0,0 a 9277,0) a partir de los datos de estudios de cohortes y los datos de estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos, respectivamente. Este aumento del riesgo fue significativo en comparación con los hijos de mujeres sin epilepsia (RR 3,22; IC del 95%: 1,84 a 5,65) y los nacidos de mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento (RR 1,64; IC del 95%: 0,94 a 2,83) en estudios de cohortes; los datos procedentes de estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos fueron limitados. En cuanto a la exposición a la fenitoína, la prevalencia de MCG fue elevada en los datos de los estudios de cohortes (5,4%; IC del 95%: 3,6 a 8,1) y en los datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos (6,8%; IC del 95%: 0,1 a 701,2). La prevalencia de MCG fue mayor en los niños expuestos a la fenitoína en comparación con los hijos de mujeres sin epilepsia (RR 3,81; IC del 95%: 1,91 a 7,57) y los hijos de mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento (RR 2,01; IC del 95%: 1,29 a 3,12); no hubo datos procedentes de estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos. Los datos agrupados de los estudios de cohortes indicaron un riesgo significativamente mayor de MCG en los niños expuestos a lamotrigina en comparación con los niños nacidos de mujeres sin epilepsia (RR 1,99; IC del 95%: 1,16 a 3,39); con una diferencia de riesgos (DR) que indica un riesgo 1% mayor de MCG (DR 0,01. IC del 95%: 0,00 a 0,03). Esto no se repitió en la comparación con los hijos de las mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento (RR 1,04; IC del 95%: 0,66 a 1,63), que contenía el mayor grupo de niños expuestos a la lamotrigina (> 2700). Además, también se encontró una diferencia no significativa tanto en comparación con los hijos de mujeres sin epilepsia (RR 1,19; IC del 95%: 0,86 a 1,64) como con los hijos de mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento (RR 1,00; IC del 95%: 0,79 a 1,28) a partir de los estudios con datos rutinarios. Para la exposición al levetiracetam, los datos agrupados proporcionaron razones de riesgos similares a las de las mujeres sin epilepsia en los estudios de cohortes (RR 2,20; IC del 95%: 0,98 a 4,93) y en los estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos (RR 0,67; IC del 95%: 0,17 a 2,66). Los resultados agrupados de los estudios de cohortes (RR: 0,71; IC del 95%: 0,39 a 1,28) y de los estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos (RR: 0,82; IC del 95%: 0,39 a 1,71) respaldan esta afirmación cuando se comparan con los hijos de las mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento. En el caso del topiramato, la prevalencia de MCG fue del 3,9% (IC del 95%: 2,3 a 6,5) a partir de los datos de los estudios de cohortes y del 4,1% (0,0 a 27.050,1) a partir de los estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos. Las razones de riesgos fueron significativamente más altas para los niños expuestos al topiramato en comparación con los hijos de mujeres sin epilepsia en estudios de cohortes (RR 4,07; IC del 95%: 1,64 a 10,14), pero no en una comparación más pequeña con los hijos de mujeres con epilepsia que no reciben tratamiento (RR 1,37; IC del 95%: 0,57 a 3,27); actualmente se dispone de pocos datos a partir de estudios con datos rutinarios de los historiales médicos. La exposición en el útero al topiramato también se asoció con RR significativamente mayores en comparación con otros FAC para las hendiduras orofaciales. Los datos de todos las demás FAC fueron extremadamente limitados. Debido a los diseños observacionales, todos los estudios presentaron un alto riesgo de ciertos sesgos, pero los sesgos observados en los estudios de obtención de datos primarios y el uso secundario de historiales médicos rutinarios fueron diferentes y, en parte, complementarios. Los sesgos estaban equilibrados entre los FAC investigados, y es poco probable que los resultados diferenciales observados entre los FAC se expliquen únicamente por estos sesgos. CONCLUSIONES DE LOS AUTORES: La exposición en el útero a ciertos FAC se asoció con un mayor riesgo de ciertos MCG que, para muchos, depende de la dosis.

Raring to go? A cross-sectional survey of student paramedics on how well they perceive their UK pre-registration course to be preparing them to manage suspected seizures.

BACKGROUND: Paramedics convey a high proportion of seizure patients with no clinical need to emergency departments (EDs). In a landmark study, only 27% of UK paramedics reported being "Very…"/ "Extremely confident" making seizure conveyance decisions. Improved pre-registration education on seizures for paramedics is proposed. Clarity is needed on its potential given recent changes to how UK paramedics train (namely, degree, rather than brief vocational course). This study sought to describe UK student paramedics' perceived readiness to manage seizures and educational needs; compare this to what they report for other presentations; and, explore subgroup differences. METHODS: Six hundred thirty-eight students, in year 2 or beyond of their pre-registration programme completed a cross-sectional survey. They rated perceived confidence, knowledge, ability to care for, and educational needs for seizures, breathing problems and, headache. Primary measure was conveyance decision confidence. RESULTS: For seizures, 45.3% (95% CI 41.4-49.2) said they were "Very…"/"Extremely confident" to make conveyance decisions. This was similar to breathing problems, but higher than for headache (25.9%, 95% CI 22.6-29.5). Two hundred and thirty-nine participants (37.9%, 95% CI 34.1-41.8) said more seizure education was required - lower than for headache, but higher than for breathing problems. Subgroup differences included students on university-based programmes reporting more confidence for conveyance decisions than those completing degree level apprenticeships. CONCLUSIONS: Student paramedics report relatively high perceived readiness for managing seizures. Magnitude of benefit from enhancements to pre-registration education may be more limited than anticipated. Additional factors need attention if a sizeable reduction to unnecessary conveyances for seizures is to happen.

High b-value diffusion tractography: Abnormal axonal network organization associated with medication-refractory epilepsy.

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) tractography has played a critical role in characterizing patterns of aberrant brain network reorganization among patients with epilepsy. However, the accuracy of dMRI tractography is hampered by the complex biophysical properties of white matter tissue. High b-value diffusion imaging overcomes this limitation by better isolating axonal pathways. In this study, we introduce tractography derived from fiber ball imaging (FBI), a high b-value approach which excludes non-axonal signals, to identify atypical neuronal networks in patients with epilepsy. Specifically, we compared network properties obtained from multiple diffusion tractography approaches (diffusion tensor imaging, diffusion kurtosis imaging, FBI) in order to assess the pathophysiological relevance of network rearrangement in medication-responsive vs. medication-refractory adults with focal epilepsy. We show that drug-resistant epilepsy is associated with increased global network segregation detected by FBI-based tractography. We propose exploring FBI as a clinically feasible alternative to quantify topological changes that could be used to track disease progression and inform on clinical outcomes.

A systems medicine strategy to predict the efficacy of drugs for monogenic epilepsies.

OBJECTIVE: Monogenic epilepsies are rare but often severe. Because of their rarity, they are neglected by traditional drug developers. Hence, many lack effective treatments. Treatments for a disease can be discovered more quickly and economically by computationally predicting drugs that can be repurposed for it. We aimed to create a computational method to predict the efficacy of drugs for monogenic epilepsies, and to use the method to predict drugs for Dravet syndrome, as (1) it is the archetypal monogenic catastrophic epilepsy; (2) few antiseizure medications are efficacious in Dravet syndrome; and (3) predicting the effect of drugs on Dravet syndrome is challenging, because Dravet syndrome is typically caused by an SCN1A mutation, but some antiseizure medications that are efficacious in Dravet syndrome do not affect SCN1A, and some antiseizure medications that affect SCN1A aggravate seizures in Dravet syndrome. METHODS: We have devised a computational method to predict drugs that could be repurposed for a monogenic epilepsy, based on a combined measure of drugs' effects upon (1) the function of the disease's causal gene and other genes predicted to influence its phenotype, (2) the transcriptomic dysregulation induced by the casual gene mutation, and (3) clinical phenotypes. RESULTS: Our method correctly predicts drugs that are more effective, less effective, ineffective, and aggravating for seizures in people with Dravet syndrome. Our method correctly predicts the positive "hits" from large-scale screening of compounds in an animal model of Dravet syndrome. We predict the relative efficacy of 1462 drugs. At least 38 drugs are ranked higher than one or more of the antiseizure drugs currently used for Dravet syndrome and have existing evidence of antiseizure efficacy in animal models. SIGNIFICANCE: Our predictions are a novel resource for identifying new treatments for seizures in Dravet syndrome, and our method can be adapted for other monogenic epilepsies.

Worth the paper they are printed on? Findings from an independent evaluation of the understandability of patient information leaflets for antiseizure medications.

OBJECTIVE: The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is an authoritative document that all people with epilepsy in the EU receive when prescribed antiseizure medication (ASM). We undertook the first independent, comprehensive assessment to determine how understandable they are. Regulators state that when patients are asked comprehension questions about them, ≥80% should answer correctly. Also, recommended is that PILs have a maximum reading requirement of US grade 8. METHODS: Study 1: We obtained 140 current ASM PILs written in English. "Readability" was assessed using four tests, with and without adjustment for influence of familiar, polysyllabic words. A total of 179 online materials on epilepsy were also assessed. Study 2: Two PILs from Study 1 were randomly selected (Pregabalin Focus; Inovelon) and shown to 35 people from the UK epilepsy population. Their comprehension was assessed. Study 3: To understand whether the student population provides an accessible alternative population for future examination of ASM PILs, Study 3 was completed, using the same methods as Study 2, except that participants were 262 UK university students. RESULTS: Study 1: No PIL had a reading level of grade 8. Median was grade 11. Adjusting for context, the PILs were still at grade 10.5. PILs for branded ASMs were most readable. PILs were no more readable than (unregulated) online materials. Study 2: Users struggled to comprehend the PILs' key messages. The eight questions asked about pregabalin were typically answered correctly by 54%. For Inovelon, it was 62%. Study 3: Most student participants comprehended the PILs' key messages. The questions about Inovelon were answered correctly by 90%; for pregabalin it was 86%. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first independent and comprehensive examination of ASM PILs. It found that PILs being used fail to meet recommendations and regulatory requirements and risk not being understandable to a substantial proportion of users. In finding that people from the epilepsy population differ markedly in comprehension of PILs compared to students, this study highlights the importance of completing user testing with the target population.

Automated subcortical volume estimation from 2D MRI in epilepsy and implications for clinical trials.

PURPOSE: Most techniques used for automatic segmentation of subcortical brain regions are developed for three-dimensional (3D) MR images. MRIs obtained in non-specialist hospitals may be non-isotropic and two-dimensional (2D). Automatic segmentation of 2D images may be challenging and represents a lost opportunity to perform quantitative image analysis. We determine the performance of a modified subcortical segmentation technique applied to 2D images in patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE). METHODS: Volume estimates were derived from 2D (0.4 × 0.4 × 3 mm) and 3D (1 × 1x1mm) T1-weighted acquisitions in 31 patients with IGE and 39 healthy controls. 2D image segmentation was performed using a modified FSL FIRST (FMRIB Integrated Registration and Segmentation Tool) pipeline requiring additional image reorientation, cropping, interpolation and brain extraction prior to conventional FIRST segmentation. Consistency between segmentations was assessed using Dice coefficients and volumes across both approaches were compared between patients and controls. The influence of slice thickness on consistency was further assessed using 2D images with slice thickness increased to 6 mm. RESULTS: All average Dice coefficients showed excellent agreement between 2 and 3D images across subcortical structures (0.86-0.96). Most 2D volumes were consistently slightly lower compared to 3D volumes. 2D images with increased slice thickness showed lower agreement with 3D images with lower Dice coefficients (0.55-0.83). Significant volume reduction of the left and right thalamus and putamen was observed in patients relative to controls across 2D and 3D images. CONCLUSION: Automated subcortical volume estimation of 2D images with a resolution of 0.4 × 0.4x3mm using a modified FIRST pipeline is consistent with volumes derived from 3D images, although this consistency decreases with an increased slice thickness. Thalamic and putamen atrophy has previously been reported in patients with IGE. Automated subcortical volume estimation from 2D images is feasible and most reliable at using in-plane acquisitions greater than 1 mm x 1 mm and provides an opportunity to perform quantitative image analysis studies in clinical trials.

Brivaracetam add-on therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review previously published in 2019. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders. It is estimated that up to 30% of individuals with epilepsy continue to have epileptic seizures despite treatment with an antiepileptic drug. These patients are classified as drug-resistant and require treatment with a combination of multiple antiepileptic drugs. Brivaracetam is a third-generation antiepileptic drug that is a high-affinity ligand for synaptic vesicle protein 2A. In this review we investigated the use of brivaracetam as add-on therapy for epilepsy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of brivaracetam when used as add-on treatment for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. SEARCH METHODS: For the latest update we searched the following databases on 7 September 2021: the Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web); MEDLINE (Ovid) 1946 to 3 September 2021. CRS Web includes randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs from PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the specialised registers of Cochrane Review Groups including Cochrane Epilepsy. SELECTION CRITERIA: We searched for parallel-group RCTs that recruited people of any age with drug-resistant epilepsy. We accepted studies with any level of blinding (double-blind, single-blind, or unblinded). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: In accordance with standard Cochrane methodological procedures, two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion before evaluating trial quality and extracting relevant data. The primary outcome to be assessed was 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency. Secondary outcomes were: seizure freedom, treatment withdrawal for any reason, treatment withdrawal due to adverse events, the proportion of participants who experienced any adverse events, and drug interactions. We used an intention-to-treat population for all primary analyses, and presented results as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). MAIN RESULTS: We did not identify any new studies for this update, therefore the results and conclusions of the review are unchanged. The previous review included six studies involving a total of 2411 participants. Only one study included participants with both focal and generalised onset seizures; the other five trials included participants with focal onset seizures only. Study participants were aged 16 to 80 years. Treatment periods ranged from 7 to 16 weeks. We judged two studies to have low risk of bias and four to have unclear risk of bias. Details on the method used for allocation concealment and how blinding was maintained were insufficient in one study each. One study did not report all outcomes prespecified in the trial protocol, and there were discrepancies in reporting in a further study. Participants receiving brivaracetam add-on were more likely to experience a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency than those receiving placebo (RR 1.81, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.14; 6 studies; moderate-certainty evidence). Participants receiving brivaracetam were more likely to attain seizure freedom; however, the evidence is of low certainty (RR 5.89, 95% CI 2.30 to 15.13; 6 studies). The incidence of treatment withdrawal for any reason was slightly greater for participants receiving brivaracetam compared to those receiving placebo (RR 1.27, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.74; 6 studies; low-certainty evidence). The risk of participants experiencing one or more adverse events did not differ significantly following treatment with brivaracetam compared to placebo (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.17; 5 studies; moderate-certainty evidence). However, participants receiving brivaracetam did appear to be more likely to withdraw from treatment due to adverse events compared with those receiving placebo (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.33; 6 studies; low-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: When used as add-on therapy for individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy, brivaracetam may be effective in reducing seizure frequency and may aid patients in achieving seizure freedom. However, add-on brivaracetam is probably associated with a greater proportion of treatment withdrawals due to adverse events compared with placebo. It is important to note that only one of the eligible studies included participants with generalised epilepsy. None of the included studies involved participants under the age of 16, and all studies were of short duration. Consequently, the findings of this review are mainly applicable to adult patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Future research should focus on investigating the tolerability and efficacy of brivaracetam during longer-term follow-up, as well as assess the efficacy and tolerability of add-on brivaracetam in managing other types of seizures and in other age groups.

Pregabalin add-on for drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review last published in Issue 7, 2019; it includes two additional studies. Epilepsy is a common neurological disease that affects approximately 1% of the UK population. Approximately one-third of these people continue to have seizures despite drug treatment. Pregabalin is one of the newer antiepileptic drugs that has been developed to improve outcomes. In this review we summarised the current evidence regarding pregabalin when used as an add-on treatment for drug-resistant focal epilepsy. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of pregabalin when used as an add-on treatment for drug-resistant focal epilepsy. SEARCH METHODS: For the latest update we searched the following databases on 16 November 2020: Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web), and MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 to 16 November 2020). CRS Web includes randomised or quasi-randomised, controlled trials from PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organisation International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the Specialised Registers of Cochrane Review Groups, including Epilepsy. We imposed no language restrictions. We contacted the manufacturers of pregabalin and authors in the field to identify any relevant unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials comparing pregabalin with placebo or an alternative antiepileptic drug as an add-on for people of any age with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Double-blind and single-blind trials were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome was 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency; secondary outcomes were seizure freedom, treatment withdrawal for any reason, treatment withdrawal due to adverse effects, and proportion of individuals experiencing adverse effects. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion and extracted the relevant data. Primary analyses were intention-to-treat (ITT). We presented summary risk ratios (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We evaluated dose response in regression models. We carried out a risk of bias assessment for each included study using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and assessed the overall certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: We included 11 randomised controlled trials (3949 participants). Nine trials compared pregabalin to placebo. For the primary outcome, participants randomised to pregabalin were significantly more likely to attain a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency compared to placebo (RR 1.95, 95% CI 1.40 to 2.72, 9 trials, 2663 participants, low-certainty evidence). The odds of response doubled with an increase in dose from 300 mg/day to 600 mg/day (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.74 to 2.28), indicating a dose-response relationship. Pregabalin was significantly associated with seizure freedom (RR 3.94, 95% CI 1.50 to 10.37, 4 trials, 1125 participants, moderate-certainty evidence). Participants were significantly more likely to withdraw from pregabalin treatment than placebo for any reason (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.60; 9 trials, 2663 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and for adverse effects (RR 2.60, 95% CI 1.86 to 3.64; 9 trials, 2663 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Three trials compared pregabalin to three active-control drugs: lamotrigine, eventrate and gabapentin. Participants allocated to pregabalin were significantly more likely to achieve a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency than those allocated to lamotrigine (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.12; 1 trial, 293 participants) but not those allocated to eventrate (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.11; 1 trial, 509 participants) or gabapentin (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.12; 1 trial, 484 participants). We found no significant differences between pregabalin and lamotrigine for seizure freedom (RR 1.39, 95% CI 0.40 to 4.83). However, significantly fewer participants achieved seizure freedom with add-on pregabalin compared to eventrate (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.85). No data were reported for this outcome for pregabalin versus gabapentin. We detected no significant differences in treatment withdrawal rate for any reason or due to adverse effects, specifically, during either pooled analysis or subgroup analysis. Ataxia, dizziness, somnolence, weight gain, headache and fatigue were significantly associated with pregabalin than in active control. We rated the overall risk of bias in the included studies as low or unclear due to the possibility of publication bias and lack of methodological details provided. We assessed all the studies to be at a high risk of funding bias as they were all sponsored by Pfizer. We rated the certainty of the evidence as very low to moderate using the GRADE approach. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: For people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, pregabalin when used as an add-on treatment was significantly more effective than placebo at producing a 50% or greater seizure reduction and seizure freedom. Results demonstrated efficacy for doses from 150 mg/day to 600 mg/day, with increasing effectiveness at 600 mg doses, although there were issues with tolerability at higher doses. However, the trials included in this review were of short duration, and longer-term trials are needed to inform clinical decision-making. This review focused on the use of pregabalin in drug-resistant focal epilepsy, and the results cannot be generalised to add-on treatment for generalised epilepsies. Likewise, no inference can be made about the effects of pregabalin when used as monotherapy.

Vagus nerve stimulation for focal seizures.

BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review published in 2015. Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder, characterised by recurring, unprovoked seizures. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a neuromodulatory treatment that is used as an adjunctive therapy for treating people with drug-resistant epilepsy. VNS consists of chronic, intermittent electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, delivered by a programmable pulse generator. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of VNS when used as add-on treatment for people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. SEARCH METHODS: For this update, we searched the Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS), and MEDLINE Ovid on 3 March 2022. We imposed no language restrictions. CRS Web includes randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials from the Specialised Registers of Cochrane Review Groups, including Epilepsy, CENTRAL, PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. SELECTION CRITERIA: We considered parallel or cross-over, randomised, double-blind, controlled trials of VNS as add-on treatment, which compared high- and low-level stimulation (including three different stimulation paradigms: rapid, mild, and slow duty-cycle), and VNS stimulation versus no stimulation, or a different intervention. We considered adults or children with drug-resistant focal seizures who were either not eligible for surgery, or who had failed surgery. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We followed standard Cochrane methods, assessing the following outcomes: 1. 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency 2. Treatment withdrawal (any reason) 3. Adverse effects 4. Quality of life (QoL) 5. Cognition 6. Mood MAIN RESULTS: We did not identify any new studies for this update, therefore, the conclusions are unchanged. We included the five randomised controlled trials (RCT) from the last update, with a total of 439 participants. The baseline phase ranged from 4 to 12 weeks, and double-blind treatment phases from 12 to 20 weeks. We rated two studies at an overall low risk of bias, and three at an overall unclear risk of bias, due to lack of reported information about study design. Effective blinding of studies of VNS is difficult, due to the frequency of stimulation-related side effects, such as voice alteration. The risk ratio (RR) for 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency was 1.73 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13 to 2.64; 4 RCTs, 373 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), showing that high frequency VNS was over one and a half times more effective than low frequency VNS. The RR for treatment withdrawal was 2.56 (95% CI 0.51 to 12.71; 4 RCTs, 375 participants; low-certainty evidence). Results for the top five reported adverse events were: hoarseness RR 2.17 (99% CI 1.49 to 3.17; 3 RCTs, 330 participants; moderate-certainty evidence); cough RR 1.09 (99% CI 0.74 to 1.62; 3 RCTs, 334 participants; moderate-certainty evidence); dyspnoea RR 2.45 (99% CI 1.07 to 5.60; 3 RCTs, 312 participants; low-certainty evidence); pain RR 1.01 (99% CI 0.60 to 1.68; 2 RCTs; 312 participants; moderate-certainty evidence); paraesthesia 0.78 (99% CI 0.39 to 1.53; 2 RCTs, 312 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Results from two studies (312 participants) showed that a small number of favourable QOL effects were associated with VNS stimulation, but results were inconclusive between high- and low-level stimulation groups. One study (198 participants) found inconclusive results between high- and low-level stimulation for cognition on all measures used. One study (114 participants) found the majority of participants showed an improvement in mood on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale compared to baseline, but results between high- and low-level stimulation were inconclusive. We found no important heterogeneity between studies for any of the outcomes. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: VNS for focal seizures appears to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment. Results of the overall efficacy analysis show that high-level stimulation reduced the frequency of seizures better than low-level stimulation. There were very few withdrawals, which suggests that VNS is well tolerated. Adverse effects associated with implantation and stimulation were primarily hoarseness, cough, dyspnoea, pain, paraesthesia, nausea, and headache, with hoarseness and dyspnoea more likely to occur with high-level stimulation than low-level stimulation. However, the evidence for these outcomes is limited, and of moderate to low certainty. Further high-quality research is needed to fully evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of VNS for drug-resistant focal seizures.

Antiepileptic drug monotherapy for epilepsy: a network meta-analysis of individual participant data.

BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review published in 2017. Epilepsy is a common neurological condition with a worldwide prevalence of around 1%. Approximately 60% to 70% of people with epilepsy will achieve a longer-term remission from seizures, and most achieve that remission shortly after starting antiepileptic drug treatment. Most people with epilepsy are treated with a single antiepileptic drug (monotherapy) and current guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom for adults and children recommend carbamazepine or lamotrigine as first-line treatment for focal onset seizures and sodium valproate for generalised onset seizures; however, a range of other antiepileptic drug (AED) treatments are available, and evidence is needed regarding their comparative effectiveness in order to inform treatment choices. OBJECTIVES: To compare the time to treatment failure, remission and first seizure of 12 AEDs (carbamazepine, phenytoin, sodium valproate, phenobarbitone, oxcarbazepine, lamotrigine, gabapentin, topiramate, eventrate, zonisamide, eslicarbazepine acetate, lacosamide) currently used as monotherapy in children and adults with focal onset seizures (simple focal, complex focal or secondary generalised) or generalised tonic-clonic seizures with or without other generalised seizure types (absence, myoclonus). SEARCH METHODS: For the latest update, we searched the following databases on 12 April 2021: the Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web), which includes PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Epilepsy Group Specialised Register and MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 to April 09, 2021). We handsearched relevant journals and contacted pharmaceutical companies, original trial investigators and experts in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials of a monotherapy design in adults or children with focal onset seizures or generalised onset tonic-clonic seizures (with or without other generalised seizure types). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: This was an individual participant data (IPD) and network meta-analysis (NMA) review. Our primary outcome was 'time to treatment failure', and our secondary outcomes were 'time to achieve 12-month remission', 'time to achieve six-month remission', and 'time to first seizure post-randomisation'. We performed frequentist NMA to combine direct evidence with indirect evidence across the treatment network of 12 drugs. We investigated inconsistency between direct 'pairwise' estimates and NMA results via node splitting. Results are presented as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and we assessed the certainty of the evidence using the CiNeMA approach, based on the GRADE framework. We have also provided a narrative summary of the most commonly reported adverse events. MAIN RESULTS: IPD were provided for at least one outcome of this review for 14,789 out of a total of 22,049 eligible participants (67% of total data) from 39 out of the 89 eligible trials (43% of total trials). We could not include IPD from the remaining 50 trials in analysis for a variety of reasons, such as being unable to contact an author or sponsor to request data, data being lost or no longer available, cost and resources required to prepare data being prohibitive, or local authority or country-specific restrictions. No IPD were available from a single trial of eslicarbazepine acetate, so this AED could not be included in the NMA. Network meta-analysis showed high-certainty evidence that for our primary outcome, 'time to treatment failure', for individuals with focal seizures; lamotrigine performs better than most other treatments in terms of treatment failure for any reason and due to adverse events, including the other first-line treatment carbamazepine; HRs (95% CIs) for treatment failure for any reason for lamotrigine versus: eventrate 1.01 (0.88 to 1.20), zonisamide 1.18 (0.96 to 1.44), lacosamide 1.19 (0.90 to 1.58), carbamazepine 1.26 (1.10 to 1.44), oxcarbazepine 1.30 (1.02 to 1.66), sodium valproate 1.35 (1.09 to 1.69), phenytoin 1.44 (1.11 to 1.85), topiramate 1.50 (1.23 to 1.81), gabapentin 1.53 (1.26 to 1.85), phenobarbitone 1.97 (1.45 to 2.67). No significant difference between lamotrigine and eventrate was shown for any treatment failure outcome, and both AEDs seemed to perform better than all other AEDs. For people with generalised onset seizures, evidence was more limited and of moderate certainty; no other treatment performed better than first-line treatment sodium valproate, but there were no differences between sodium valproate, lamotrigine or eventrate in terms of treatment failure; HRs (95% CIs) for treatment failure for any reason for sodium valproate versus: lamotrigine 1.06 (0.81 to 1.37), eventrate 1.13 (0.89 to 1.42), gabapentin 1.13 (0.61 to 2.11), phenytoin 1.17 (0.80 to 1.73), oxcarbazepine 1.24 (0.72 to 2.14), topiramate 1.37 (1.06 to 1.77), carbamazepine 1.52 (1.18 to 1.96), phenobarbitone 2.13 (1.20 to 3.79), lacosamide 2.64 (1.14 to 6.09). Network meta-analysis also showed high-certainty evidence that for secondary remission outcomes, few notable differences were shown for either seizure type; for individuals with focal seizures, carbamazepine performed better than gabapentin (12-month remission) and sodium valproate (six-month remission). No differences between lamotrigine and any AED were shown for individuals with focal seizures, or between sodium valproate and other AEDs for individuals with generalised onset seizures. Network meta-analysis also showed high- to moderate-certainty evidence that, for 'time to first seizure,' in general, the earliest licensed treatments (phenytoin and phenobarbitone) performed better than the other treatments for individuals with focal seizures; phenobarbitone performed better than both first-line treatments carbamazepine and lamotrigine. There were no notable differences between the newer drugs (oxcarbazepine, topiramate, gabapentin, eventrate, zonisamide and lacosamide) for either seizure type. Generally, direct evidence (where available) and network meta-analysis estimates were numerically similar and consistent with confidence intervals of effect sizes overlapping. There was no important indication of inconsistency between direct and network meta-analysis results. The most commonly reported adverse events across all drugs were drowsiness/fatigue, headache or migraine, gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness/faintness and rash or skin disorders; however, reporting of adverse events was highly variable across AEDs and across studies. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: High-certainty evidence demonstrates that for people with focal onset seizures, current first-line treatment options carbamazepine and lamotrigine, as well as newer drug eventrate, show the best profile in terms of treatment failure and seizure control as first-line treatments. For people with generalised tonic-clonic seizures (with or without other seizure types), current first-line treatment sodium valproate has the best profile compared to all other treatments, but lamotrigine and eventrate would be the most suitable alternative first-line treatments, particularly for those for whom sodium valproate may not be an appropriate treatment option. Further evidence from randomised controlled trials recruiting individuals with generalised tonic-clonic seizures (with or without other seizure types) is needed.

Meningioma systematic reviews and meta-analyses: an assessment of reporting and methodological quality.

INTRODUCTION: Systematic reviews (SR) and systematic reviews with meta-analysis (SRMA) can constitute the highest level of research evidence. Such evidence syntheses are relied upon heavily to inform the clinical knowledge base and to guide clinical practice for meningioma. This review evaluates the reporting and methodological quality of published meningioma evidence syntheses to date. METHODS: Eight electronic databases/registries were searched to identify eligible meningioma SRs with and without meta-analysis published between January 1990 and December 2020. Articles concerning spinal meningioma were excluded. Reporting and methodological quality were assessed against the following tools: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2), and Risk Of Bias in Systematic reviews (ROBIS). RESULTS: 116 SRs were identified, of which 57 were SRMAs (49.1%). The mean PRISMA score for SRMA was 20.9 out of 27 (SD 3.9, 77.0% PRISMA adherence) and for SR without meta-analysis was 13.8 out of 22 (SD 3.4, 63% PRISMA adherence). Thirty-eight studies (32.8%) achieved greater than 80% adherence to PRISMA. Methodological quality assessment against AMSTAR 2 revealed that 110 (94.8%) studies were of critically low quality. Only 21 studies (18.1%) were judged to have a low risk of bias against ROBIS. CONCLUSION: The reporting and methodological quality of meningioma evidence syntheses was poor. Established guidelines and critical appraisal tools may be used as an adjunct to aid methodological conduct and reporting of such reviews, in order to improve the validity and transparency of research which may influence clinical practice.

Probabilistic mapping of thalamic nuclei and thalamocortical functional connectivity in idiopathic generalised epilepsy.

It is well established that abnormal thalamocortical systems play an important role in the generation and maintenance of primary generalised seizures. However, it is currently unknown which thalamic nuclei and how nuclear-specific thalamocortical functional connectivity are differentially impacted in patients with medically refractory and non-refractory idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE). In the present study, we performed structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with refractory and non-refractory IGE, segmented the thalamus into constituent nuclear regions using a probabilistic MRI segmentation method and determined thalamocortical functional connectivity using seed-to-voxel connectivity analyses. We report significant volume reduction of the left and right anterior thalamic nuclei only in patients with refractory IGE. Compared to healthy controls, patients with refractory and non-refractory IGE had significant alterations of functional connectivity between the centromedian nucleus and cortex, but only patients with refractory IGE had altered cortical connectivity with the ventral lateral nuclear group. Patients with refractory IGE had significantly increased functional connectivity between the left and right ventral lateral posterior nuclei and cortical regions compared to patients with non-refractory IGE. Cortical effects were predominantly located in the frontal lobe. Atrophy of the anterior thalamic nuclei and resting-state functional hyperconnectivity between ventral lateral nuclei and cerebral cortex may be imaging markers of pharmacoresistance in patients with IGE. These structural and functional abnormalities fit well with the known importance of thalamocortical systems in the generation and maintenance of primary generalised seizures, and the increasing recognition of the importance of limbic pathways in IGE.