Study protocol: a multicenter, uncontrolled, open-label study of palivizumab in neonates, infants, and preschool children at high risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus infection.

BACKGROUND: The prophylactic use of anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antibody (palivizumab) for severe RSV infection is not approved in Japan in specified groups of infants with neuromuscular diseases or other rare diseases associated with reduced ventilation competence or difficulty in expectoration, which increase the risk of exacerbation of severe RSV infection. The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of palivizumab in pediatric patients with those rare diseases for which palivizumab is not indicated at present. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a multicenter, uncontrolled, open-label study planned to be carried out between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2022 at 7 medical institutions in Japan. The study population will be recruited from among neonates, infants, or children aged 24 months or younger with a condition falling under any of the following 5 disease groups: pulmonary hypoplasia, airway stenosis, congenital esophageal atresia, inherited metabolic disease, or neuromuscular disease. The planned sample size is 18 subjects, including at least 3 subjects per disease group. Throughout the RSV season, at least 4 continuous doses of palivizumab will be administered intramuscularly at 15 mg/kg at intervals of 30 days. The efficacy and safety of palivizumab will be comprehensively evaluated based on the incidence of RSV-related hospitalization, and serum palivizumab concentration, serum anti-palivizumab antibody concentration, and the occurrence of adverse events/reactions after the start of palivizumab treatment. DISCUSSION: This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of palivizumab in pediatric patients with rare diseases which place them at high risk of severe RSV infection, but which fall outside the current indications for palivizumab prophylaxis. The generated data will have implications for the regulatory approval of prophylactic palivizumab treatment in this patient group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been prospectively registered in Japic Clinical Trials Information, which is managed and administered by the Japan Pharmaceutical Information Center (registration number: JapicCTI-194946 , registration date: September 10, 2019).

Changes in cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in human herpesvirus-6-associated acute encephalopathy/febrile seizures.

To determine the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of acute encephalopathy associated with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection, we measured the levels of oxidative stress markers 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and hexanoyl-lysine adduct (HEL), tau protein, and cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from patients with HHV-6-associated acute encephalopathy (HHV-6 encephalopathy) (n = 16) and complex febrile seizures associated with HHV-6 (HHV-6 complex FS) (n = 10). We also examined changes in CSF-8OHdG and CSF-HEL levels in patients with HHV-6 encephalopathy before and after treatment with edaravone, a free radical scavenger. CSF-8-OHdG levels in HHV-6 encephalopathy and HHV-6 complex FS were significantly higher than in control subjects. In contrast, CSF-HEL levels showed no significant difference between groups. The levels of total tau protein in HHV-6 encephalopathy were significantly higher than in control subjects. In six patients with HHV-6 infection (5 encephalopathy and 1 febrile seizure), the CSF-8-OHdG levels of five patients decreased after edaravone treatment. Our results suggest that oxidative DNA damage is involved in acute encephalopathy associated with HHV-6 infection.

Safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of palivizumab in off-label neonates, infants, and young children at risk for serious respiratory syncytial virus infection: a multicenter phase II clinical trial.

Background: Pediatric patients with certain rare diseases are at increased risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. However, the prophylactic use of anti-RSV antibody (palivizumab) in these patients is not indicated at present in Japan. Methods: This first-in-the-world multicenter, uncontrolled, open-label, phase II clinical trial was carried out between 28 July 2019 and 24 September 2021 at seven medical institutions in Japan to investigate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of palivizumab in 23 subjects recruited from among neonates, infants, or children aged 24 months or younger who had any of the following conditions: pulmonary hypoplasia, airway stenosis, congenital esophageal atresia, inherited metabolic disease, or neuromuscular disease. At least four continuous doses of palivizumab were administered intramuscularly at 15 mg/kg at intervals of 30 days. Findings: Twenty-three enrolled subjects completed the study. No subject required hospitalization for RSV. Adverse events (AE) did not notably differ from the event terms described in the latest interview form. Five severe AEs required unplanned hospitalization, but resolved without RSV infection. Therapeutically effective concentrations of palivizumab were maintained throughout the study period. Interpretation: Palivizumab might be well tolerated and effective in preventing serious respiratory symptoms and hospitalization due to severe RSV infection, indicating the prophylactic use in the pediatric patients included in this study. Funding: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), grant numbers 19lk0201097h0001 (to MM), 20lk0201097h0002 (to MM), 21lk0201097h0003 (to MM), and 22lk0201097h0004 (to MM). AMED did not have any role in the execution of this study, analysis and interpretation of the data, or the decision to submit the results.

Brain vascular changes in Cockayne syndrome.

Cockayne syndrome (CS) and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) are caused by deficient nucleotide excision repair. CS is characterized by cachectic dwarfism, mental disability, microcephaly and progeria features. Neuropathological examination of CS patients reveals dysmyelination and basal ganglia calcification. In addition, arteriosclerosis in the brain and subdural hemorrhage have been reported in a few CS cases. Herein, we performed elastica van Gieson (EVG) staining and immunohistochemistry for collagen type IV, CD34 and aquaporin 4 to evaluate the brain vessels in autopsy cases of CS, XP group A (XP-A) and controls. Small arteries without arteriosclerosis in the subarachnoid space had increased in CS cases but not in either XP-A cases or controls. In addition, string vessels (twisted capillaries) in the cerebral white matter and increased density of CD34-immunoreactive vessels were observed in CS cases. Immunohistochemistry findings for aquaporin 4 indicated no pathological changes in either CS or XP-A cases. Hence, the increased subarachnoid artery space may have caused subdural hemorrhage. Since such vascular changes were not observed in XP-A cases, the increased density of vessels in CS cases was not caused by brain atrophy. Hence, brain vascular changes may be involved in neurological disturbances in CS.

Oxidative stress in developmental brain disorders.

In order to examine the involvement of oxidative stress in developmental brain disorders, we have performed immunohistochemistry in autopsy brains and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the cerebrospinal fluid and urines of patients. Here, we review our data on the hereditary DNA repair disorders, congenital metabolic errors and childhood-onset neurodegenerative disorders. First, in our studies on hereditary DNA repair disorders, increased oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation were carried out in the degeneration of basal ganglia, intracerebral calcification and cerebellar degeneration in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne syndrome and ataxia-telangiectasia-like disorder, respectively. Next, congenital metabolic errors, apoptosis due to lipid peroxidation seemed to cause neuronal damage in neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis. Oxidative stress of DNA combined with reduced expression of antioxidant enzymes occurred in the lesion of the cerebral cortex in mucopolysaccharidoses and mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes. In childhood-onset neurodegenerative disorders, increased oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation may lead to motor neuron death in spinal muscular atrophy like in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In patients with dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, a triplet repeat disease, deposition of oxidative products of nucleosides and reduced expression of antioxidant enzymes were found in the lenticular nucleus. In contrast, the involvement of oxidative stress is not definite in patients with Lafora disease. Rett syndrome patients showed changes of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant power in urines, although the changes may be related to systemic complications.

[CSF biomarkers in children with acute encephalopathy syndrome].

Viral infection-associated acute encephalopathy in children is a clinical syndrome with high mortality and neurological sequelae. Its main symptoms of acute phase are impaired consciousness and convulsive status epilepticus with hyperpyrexia. Acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD) is characterized clinically by biphasic seizures and late MRI abnormalities such as reduced subcortical diffusion. Despite the intensive care, patients with AESD often have severe neurological impairment and it is very difficult to distinguish AESD from febrile seizures in the early phase. Although there is currently no specific biomarker for early diagnosis of acute encephalopathy syndrome, we believe tau protein and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) are potential biomarkers which could be useful in following the clinical course and monitoring the efficacy of therapies.

Decrease in acetylcholinergic neurons in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus in a patient with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is caused by the absence of paternally contributed genes in chromosome 15, and is characterized by hypotonia, feeding difficulty, mental retardation, growth failure, hypogonadism and severe obesity. To elucidate the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, we immunohistochemically examined the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons (GABAis) in the cerebral cortex and acetylcholine neurons (AchNs) in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (MyN) and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus pars compacta (PPNc) in an autopsy case of one PWS patient with a deletion in the 15q11-q12 region and three control patients. The GABAis in the cerebral cortex and AchNs in the MyN were well preserved in the PWS patient. The AchNs in the PPNc in the PWS patient were severely reduced in comparison with those in controls, whereas catecholaminergic neurons and GABAis were preserved. The selective loss of AchNs in the PPNc may be involved in hypotonia and/or REM sleep abnormalities in PWS patients.

[Autopsy case of child with severe motor and intellectual disabilities showing hyper IgE subsequent to food allergy].

We presented an autopsy case with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) who showed a severe increase in the serum level of IgE. Although the patient had rarely been exposed to food allergens, the serum level of IgE continued increasing. He developed a high titer of serum IgE against specific antigens to which he had never been exposed. There was no mutation of the STAT3 gene, and no abnormalities in immunological functions including serum levels of cytokines. Death was from a hemorrhage caused by a tracheoinnominate artery fistula. At autopsy, the submucosal area of the colon presented with an increase in the number of mast cells immunoreactive for tryptase, which could have been involved with hyper IgE. Since SMID patients tend to be sensitized by food allergens subsequent to recurrent gastroesophageal reflux, we should pay attention to complications of food allergy even when using an elemental diet.

[Fulminating meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae with rapid progression of severe brain edema similar to acute encephalopathy].

We report a 4-year-old boy with fulminating meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae (Hib). He suddenly developed fever, vomiting and then somnolence. As bacterial meningitis was suspected, treatment with antibiotics was started at 12 hours after the onset. However, there was a rapid progression of severe brain edema and brain hernia, leading to clinical brain death. His clinical course and neuroradiological findings mimicked those in patients with acute encephalopathy, with cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid demonstrating a marked increase of inflammatory cytokines. From a review of the literature, fulminating Hib meningitis may be classified into two disease types: DIC plus multiple organ failure and acute brain swelling types. The present case belongs to the latter type, in which cytokine storm seems to play an important pathogenic role.

Long-Term Evaluation of Low-Dose Betamethasone for Ataxia Telangiectasia.

BACKGROUND: Ataxia telangiectasia is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cerebellar ataxia, telangiectases, immune defects, and a predisposition to malignancy. Quality of life is severely impaired by neurological symptoms. However, curative options for the neurological symptoms are limited. Recent studies have demonstrated short-term improvement in neurological symptoms with betamethasone therapy. However, the long-term and adverse effects of betamethasone are unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects, benefits, and adverse effects of low-dose betamethasone in ataxia telangiectasia. METHODS: Six patients with ataxia telangiectasia received betamethasone at 0.02 mg/kg/day for two years. After cessation of betamethasone, the patients were observed for two additional years. Neurological assessments were performed, and adverse effects were monitored every three months throughout the four-year study period. RESULTS: Transient improvement of neurological symptom was observed in five of the six patients. However, after two years betamethasone treatment, only one of the six patients showed a slight improvement in the neurological score, one patient showed no change, and the neurological scores of the remaining four patients deteriorated. After the cessation of betamethasone treatment, neurological symptoms worsened in all patients. As an adverse effect of betamethasone, transient adrenal dysfunction was observed in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Although these findings are in agreement with previous studies suggesting that short-term betamethasone treatment transiently benefits patients with ataxia telangiectasia, the long-term benefits and risks should be carefully considered.

Deep Vein Thrombosis in Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities Patients and Its Treatment by Anticoagulants of Warfarin Versus Edoxaban.

Objective: Patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) often develop complications, including paralysis of the extremities due to abnormal muscular tonicity. Furthermore, the incidence of sudden death, which may be caused by pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), is approximately 4.2%. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is attracting attention as an embolic source. In this study, DVT was confirmed in SMID patients by lower extremity venous ultrasound. The oral anticoagulant, warfarin, and novel oral anticoagulant, edoxaban tosilate hydrate, were administered, and their efficacies and safeties were evaluated. Materials and Methods: DVT patients were randomly allocated to warfarin and edoxaban groups. The frequency of hemorrhagic events and incidence of adverse events were investigated to evaluate efficacy and safety. Results: DVT was detected in 14 (8.4%) out of 167 patients. Four (0.067/person-month) hemorrhagic events occurred in the warfarin group from subcutaneous hemorrhage due to bruises caused by postural changes. Three (0.042/person-month) events occurred in the edoxaban group due to nasal hemorrhage caused by tracheal aspiration. There was no significant difference (p=0.5383) between groups. Conclusion: No significant differences were observed in hemorrhagic events between SMID patients with DVT treated with warfarin and edoxaban.

Oxidative stress in neurodegeneration in dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy.

Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) is one of the CAG-repeat diseases, and is classified into juvenile and early adult types showing progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) in addition to late adult type. We immunohistochemically examined accumulation of oxidative products and expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in autopsy cases of DRPLA. Oxidative products to nucleosides, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8-hydroxyguanosine, were accumulated in the lenticulate nucleus predominantly in DRPLA cases having PME. Neuronal accumulation of 4-hydroxy nonenal, a reactive lipid aldehyde, was found in the hippocampus, globus pallidus and cerebellar dentate nucleus in adult DRPLA cases and controls. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for Cu/ZnSOD was reduced in the external segment of globus pallidus, dentate nucleus and cerebellar cortex in DRPLA cases. Mitochondrial immunoreactivity for MnSOD was reduced in the lenticulate nucleus and cerebellum in DRPLA cases having PME. Some DRPLA cases showed reduced immunoreactivity for MnSOD in the cerebral cortex. Coexistence of reduced SOD expression and polyglutamine was observed in a few cases. It has been discussed in Huntington's disease that expanded polyglutamine can lead to oxidative neurodegeneration. It is likely that oxidative stress can be involved in DRPLA, although relationship with expanded polyglutamine remains to be elusive.

Oxidative stress as a biomarker of respiratory disturbance in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in aging and various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma. However, little is known about a potential role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) in terms of respiratory disturbance, which is the most common complication. In the present study, we examined the urinary levels of oxidative stress markers, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), hexanoyl-lysine adduct (HEL) and acrolein-lysine adduct (ACR) in patients with SMID. The mean level of urinary 8-OHdG in SMID patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls (18.8 +/- 9.0 ng/mg Cre and 10.5 +/- 2.9 ng/mg Cre, respectively) (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference of the mean level of urinary HEL between patients with SMID and normal controls (81.9 +/- 40.3 pmol/mg Cre and 69.2 + /-37.7 pmol/mg Cre, respectively), while the mean level of ACR in patients with SMID was higher than that of normal controls (220.5 +/- 118.6 nmol/mg Cre and 144.9 +/- 62.0 nmol/mg Cre, respectively) (p < 0.05). In addition, the level of 8-OHdG was strongly correlated with the severity of respiratory disturbance evaluated as the respiratory disturbance score (RDS) (Spearman r = 0.73, n = 14, p < 0.01). In contrast, there was no correlation between the levels of these oxidative stress markers and age or medication of antiepileptic drugs. These results suggest that urinary 8-OHdG is a potentially useful biomarker for evaluating the severity of respiratory failure in patients with SMID.

[Immunohistochemical analysis of hepatic steatosis in autopsy cases of severe motor and intellectual disabilities].

To explore the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis in severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID), we immunohistochemically examined the accumulation of oxidative products in 8 autopsy cases of SMID, 5 of which pathologically showed hepatic steatosis. Three of the 8 cases also demonstrated fibrosis in Glisson's sheath. Serial sections of liver were treated with monoclonal antibodies to oxidative products to proteins, lipids and nucleosides. Immunoreactivity for 4-hydroxynonenal, a marker of oxidative damage to lipids, was increased in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in 5 cases; 2 with steatosis plus fibrosis, one with only fibrosis, and 2 with only hepatic steatosis. One case showed immunoreactivity for advanced glycation endproduct, a marker of oxidative damage to protein, in hepatocytes. There was no immunoreactivity for 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and hexanoyl lysine, markers of oxidative damage to DNA and lipids, respectively. These findings partly mimic those observed in adult patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The results suggested the involvement of oxidative damage to lipids in the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and/or fibrosis in patients with SMID.

Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial of Warfarin and Edoxaban Tosilate Hydrate for the Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Persons with Severe Motor Intellectual Disabilities.

Sudden death in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) is sometimes caused in part by pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) has drawn attention as a possible embolic source. Warfarin, which is a conventional therapeutic agent, is not easy to control appropriately, and daily management can be especially difficult in SMID patients. On the other hand, edoxaban tosilate hydrate, which has been newly approved for insurance coverage for the treatment of DVT, is not listed in the Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Pulmonary Thromboembolism and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT-PTE guidelines). The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anticoagulation therapy (warfarin vs. edoxaban) in DVT treatment in SMID patients by means of an open-label, randomized controlled trial. The primary endpoint is the incidence of hemorrhagic events during 12 months of follow up.

[Clinical characteristics of ulcerative colitis in four patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities].

We retrospectively reviewed four patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID), aged 8-56 years, who presented with ulcerative colitis (UC), and discussed causal interrelationships between UC and SMID. UC started at 3-50 years of age with early childhood-onset in two patients. Two patients had an intractable clinical course in which leukocytapheresis and surgery were ineffective, and resulted in steroid-dependency. We failed to find any causal relationships between infectious events, nutrition and anticonvulsants with the development of UC. However, when occult blood in feces is frequently positive in SMID patients, it is important to consider the possibility of UC and to perform an intestinal endoscopic examination.

Acute encephalopathy with refractory status epilepticus: bilateral mesial temporal and claustral lesions, associated with a peripheral marker of oxidative DNA damage.

We describe a 12-year-old girl, who had been medicated with theophylline for bronchial asthma and developed acute encephalopathy with refractory status epilepticus, showing bilateral mesial temporal and claustral lesions, which were evident on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images, obtained with 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging. To date, oxidative stress has been implicated in aging or various disorders, including inflammatory or degenerative neurological disorders. One of the oxidative stress markers, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, was increased in our patient's cerebro-spinal fluid, plasma and urine. We speculate that augmented oxidative stress was associated with refractory status epilepticus in our patient, accompanying bilateral mesial temporal, claustral lesions and severe neuronal damage. Serial measurements of oxidative stress markers in acute encephalitis, encephalopathy, or status epilepticus could clarify the relationships between acute brain damage and free radicals.

Circadian Rhythms of Oxidative Stress Markers and Melatonin Metabolite in Patients with Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group A.

Xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) is a genetic disorder in DNA nucleotide excision repair (NER) with severe neurological disorders, in which oxidative stress and disturbed melatonin metabolism may be involved. Herein we confirmed the diurnal variation of melatonin metabolites, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant power in urine of patients with XPA and age-matched controls, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The peak of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, a metabolite of melatonin, was seen at 6:00 in both the XPA patients and controls, though the peak value is lower, specifically in the younger age group of XPA patients. The older XPA patients demonstrated an increase in the urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and hexanoyl-lysine, a marker of oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation, having a robust peak at 6:00 and 18:00, respectively. In addition, the urinary level of total antioxidant power was decreased in the older XPA patients. Recently, it is speculated that oxidative stress and antioxidant properties may have a diurnal variation, and the circadian rhythm is likely to influence the NER itself. We believe that the administration of melatonin has the possibility of ameliorating the augmented oxidative stress in neurodegeneration, especially in the older XPA patients, modulating the melatonin metabolism and the circadian rhythm.