New-onset Geriatric Epilepsy in a Latin American Country: A Multi-centric Study from Mexico.

Background: In Latin America, epilepsy in the elderly is a neglected issue that has never been studied. The epidemiological transition has significantly altered the demographics of epilepsy, and therefore, we would like to draw attention to this topic. Objective: We require local real-world evidence, as the literature often depicts a different scenario, including pharmacological management. Methods: From 2007 to 2018, we recruited all patients with new-onset geriatric epilepsy (first seizure after the age of 60) tracked from ten Mexican hospitals, adding them to patients with similar characteristics from a previously published study. The diagnosis was confirmed in all patients by a certified neurologist, and they were also studied using a conventional electroencephalogram and imaging workup. Results: A diagnosis of new-onset geriatric epilepsy (Elderly patients was established in 100 cases. No specific cause was found in 26% of patients, while 42% had a stroke and 10% had neurocysticercosis (NCC). Monotherapy was the choice in 83 patients, and phenytoin was the most used drug (50%), followed by carbamazepine (25%). Conclusion: NCC remains a frequent cause of new-onset geriatric epilepsy. This distribution is not seen in the literature, mainly representing patients from wealthy economies. In our setting, financial constraints influence the choice of the drug, and newer antiepileptic drugs should be made more affordable to this population with economic and physical frailty.

Seizures following COVID-19 vaccination in Mexico: A nationwide observational study.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the development and emergency approval of an array of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Given the relatively small number of patients included in vaccine trials, postapproval epidemiological surveillance is crucial to detect infrequent vaccine-related adverse events. We conducted a nationwide retrospective descriptive study evaluating the incidence of seizures among recipients of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Mexico from December 24, 2020 (date of administration of first doses nationwide) to October 29, 2021. Among 81 916 351 doses of any vaccine that were administered, we documented seizures in 53 patients, of which 31 (60%) were new onset seizures. The incidence rate of seizures per million doses was highest for mRNA-1273 (Moderna) with 2.73 per million, followed by BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) with 1.02 per million, and Ad5-nCoV (CanSino) with 1.01 per million. Thus, we found that seizures following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination are exceedingly rare events.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is infrequent among recipients of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccines are the most effective strategy to mitigate the global impact of COVID-19. However, vaccine hesitancy is common, particularly among minorities. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the most common autoimmune illness of the peripheral nervous system, occurring at an incidence of 1.1/100,000 worldwide. A causal link between mRNA vaccines and GBS has not been previously evaluated. We analyzed a cohort of 3,890,250 Hispanic/Latinx recipients of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (613,780 of whom had already received both doses) for incident GBS occurring within 30 days from vaccine administration. Seven cases of GBS were detected among first-dose recipients, for an observed incidence of 0.18/100,000 administered doses during the prespecified timeframe of 30 days. No cases were reported after second-dose administration. Our data suggest that, among recipients of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, GBS may occur at the expected community-based rate; however, this should be taken with caution as the current incidence of GBS among the unvaccinated population against COVID-19 is still undetermined. We hope that this preliminary data will increase the public perception of safety toward mRNA-based vaccines and reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Neurologic adverse events among 704,003 first-dose recipients of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in Mexico: A nationwide descriptive study.

mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are remarkably effective. Limited information exists about the incidence of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) with their use. We conducted a prospective observational study including data from 704,003 first-doses recipients; 6536 AEFI were reported, of whom 65.1% had at least one neurologic AEFI (non-serious 99.6%). Thirty-three serious events were reported; 17 (51.5%) were neurologic (observed frequency, 2.4/100,000 doses). At the time of writing this report, 16/17 cases had been discharged without deaths. Our data suggest that the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is safe; its individual and societal benefits outweigh the low percentage of serious neurologic AEFI. This information should help to dissipate hesitancy towards this new vaccine platform.

Catatonia in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

AIM: There is a lack of studies related to the frequency, phenomenology, and associated features of catatonic syndrome in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (ANMDARE). This study aimed to measure the frequency of catatonia in this condition and to delineate its particular symptoms. METHODS: A prospective study was done with all inpatients who fulfilled the criteria of definite ANMDARE admitted to the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Mexico from January 2014 to September 2018. The Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale and Braünig Catatonia Rating Scale were administered at admission. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were included and catatonia was diagnosed in 41 of these patients (70.6%). Immobility, staring, mutism, and posturing were the most frequent catatonic signs. Catatonia was associated with delirium, hallucinations, psychomotor agitation, generalized electroencephalography dysfunction, and previous use of antipsychotics. Mortality was present in 10% of the total sample; it was associated with status epilepticus, and was less frequent in the catatonia group. After immunotherapy, all cases showed a complete recovery from catatonic signs. CONCLUSION: This systematic assessment of catatonic syndrome shows that it is a frequent feature in patients with ANMDARE as part of a clinical pattern that includes delirium, psychomotor agitation, and hallucinations. The lack of recognition of this pattern may be a source of diagnostic and therapeutic errors, as most physicians associate catatonia with schizophrenia and affective disorders.

High-dose versus low-dose valproate for the treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: Going from low to high.

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is a genetic generalized epilepsy accounting for 3-12% of adult cases of epilepsy. Valproate has proven to be the first-choice drug in JME for controlling the most common seizure types: myoclonic, absence, and generalized tonic-clonic (GTC). In this retrospective study, we analyzed seizure outcome in patients with JME using valproate monotherapy for a minimum period of one year. Low valproate dose was considered to be 1000mg/day or lower, while serum levels were considered to be low if they were at or below 50mcg/dl. One hundred three patients met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-six patients (54.4%) were female. The current average age was 28.4±7.4years, while the age of epilepsy onset was 13.6±2.9years. Most patients corresponded to the subsyndrome of classic JME. Forty-six (44.7%) patients were free from all seizure types, and 76 (73.7%) patients were free from GTC seizures. No significant difference was found in seizure freedom among patients using a low dose of valproate versus a high dose (p=0.535) or among patients with low blood levels versus high blood levels (p=0.69). In patients with JME, it seems appropriate to use low doses of valproate (500mg to 1000mg) for initial treatment and then to determine if freedom from seizures was attained.

Examining the Features of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome in Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (ANMDARE) is a neuroimmunological disorder that frequently improves with immunotherapy. Symptomatic treatment with antipsychotics is common in the early stages when psychiatric symptoms predominate, and their use has been associated with serious side effects including neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). The observation of an adverse response to antipsychotics, raising the suspicion of NMS, has been included as a criterion for possible autoimmune psychosis. METHODS: This case-control study included patients who received antipsychotics before referral to the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Mexico, where they were diagnosed as having definite ANMDARE, and patients with ANMDARE who did not receive antipsychotics before referral. The neurologic and systemic features that are used to measure an adverse response to antipsychotics, raising the suspicion of NMS, were measured in both groups, including akinesia, autonomic instability, generalized rigidity, elevated concentrations of creatine phosphokinase, and hyperthermia. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the previous use of antipsychotics and the occurrence of NMS-like reactions. RESULTS: A total sample of 112 patients with definite ANMDARE were included in the study. Fifty patients received antipsychotics before being referred to our institution. In this group, thirty-six patients (72%) were initially classified as having an adverse response, raising the suspicion of NMS, with the following features: akinesia (64%), autonomic instability (58%), generalized rigidity (52%), elevated concentrations of creatine phosphokinase (50%), and hyperthermia (14%). Six patients fulfilled the criteria for NMS (12%). The comparison with patients who did not receive antipsychotics before the clinical assessment did not show a significant difference between groups regarding the frequency of akinesia, autonomic instability, generalized rigidity, elevated concentrations of creatine phosphokinase, or hyperthermia. Among different antipsychotics, only haloperidol was significantly associated with generalized rigidity as compared to patients who did not receive antipsychotics. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports previous observations about the high frequency of autonomic dysfunction, hyperthermia, tachycardia, rigidity, and elevated creatine phosphokinase levels in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis following the administration of antipsychotic medications. Nevertheless, our study does not suggest a causal link between atypical antipsychotics and the onset of these neurological symptoms, as they were equally frequent among the group of patients who did not receive antipsychotic treatment.

Individualised prediction of drug resistance and seizure recurrence after medication withdrawal in people with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: A third of people with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) are drug-resistant. Three-quarters have a seizure relapse when attempting to withdraw anti-seizure medication (ASM) after achieving seizure-freedom. It is currently impossible to predict who is likely to become drug-resistant and safely withdraw treatment. We aimed to identify predictors of drug resistance and seizure recurrence to allow for individualised prediction of treatment outcomes in people with JME. Methods: We performed an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis based on a systematic search in EMBASE and PubMed - last updated on March 11, 2021 - including prospective and retrospective observational studies reporting on treatment outcomes of people diagnosed with JME and available seizure outcome data after a minimum one-year follow-up. We invited authors to share standardised IPD to identify predictors of drug resistance using multivariable logistic regression. We excluded pseudo-resistant individuals. A subset who attempted to withdraw ASM was included in a multivariable proportional hazards analysis on seizure recurrence after ASM withdrawal. The study was registered at the Open Science Framework (OSF; https://osf.io/b9zjc/). Findings: Our search yielded 1641 articles; 53 were eligible, of which the authors of 24 studies agreed to collaborate by sharing IPD. Using data from 2518 people with JME, we found nine independent predictors of drug resistance: three seizure types, psychiatric comorbidities, catamenial epilepsy, epileptiform focality, ethnicity, history of CAE, family history of epilepsy, status epilepticus, and febrile seizures. Internal-external cross-validation of our multivariable model showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0·70 (95%CI 0·68-0·72). Recurrence of seizures after ASM withdrawal (n = 368) was predicted by an earlier age at the start of withdrawal, shorter seizure-free interval and more currently used ASMs, resulting in an average internal-external cross-validation concordance-statistic of 0·70 (95%CI 0·68-0·73). Interpretation: We were able to predict and validate clinically relevant personalised treatment outcomes for people with JME. Individualised predictions are accessible as nomograms and web-based tools. Funding: MING fonds.

Transient sensory symptoms among first-dose recipients of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: A case-control study.

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines are effective; however, persistent vaccine hesitancy is partly due to a misperception of their potential adverse events. Non-specific sensory symptoms (NSSS) following immunization are thought to be mediated by stress-related responses. In this case-control study, we evaluated NSSS from a cohort of 7,812,845 BNT162b2 first-dose recipients, of whom 10,929 reported an adverse event following immunization (AEFI). We found an overall frequency of 3.4% (377 cases) or 4.8 cases per 100,000 doses administered. Anatomically, the arms (61%) and face/neck region (36.2%) were the most commonly affected sites. The control group had significantly higher rates of reactogenicity-associated symptoms, suggesting that NSSS are reactogenicity-independent; in multivariable analysis, healthcare workers reported sensory symptoms less frequently (aOR 0.54; 95% CI 0.40-0.72;p < 0.001). This is the first study describing the topography and associated factors for developing NSSS among BNT162b2 recipients. The benign nature of these symptoms may help dissipate hesitation towards this vaccine.

Resolution of ictal bradycardia and asystole following temporal lobectomy: A case report, and review of available cases using pacemakers.

Ictal bradycardia (IB) and ictal asystole (IA) are uncommonly recognized phenomena that increase morbidity in patients with epilepsy by causing syncope and seizure-related falls. These arrhythmias are also suspected to be involved in the pathophysiology of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). We report a case of a 57-year-old male with left temporal lobe epilepsy who experienced both IB and IA. This patient was initially managed with pacemaker implantation, prior to undergoing left temporal lobectomy. Following surgery, the patient had no ongoing IB or IA on his pacemaker recordings, and his seizure control was greatly improved. His pacemaker was removed approximately one year post-operatively and he continued treatment with anti-seizure drugs (ASDs). A literature review of cases of IB and IA that were managed with pacemakers was performed. Pacemaker implantation appears to be quite effective for reducing seizure-related syncope and falls in the setting of IB/IA. Epilepsy surgery also seems to be an effective treatment option for IB/IA, as many patients are able to have their pacemakers removed post-operatively. Further investigations into the pathophysiology of IB and IA and long-term outcomes using different treatment modalities are clearly needed to help formulate treatment guidelines and, potentially, to reduce the occurrence of SUDEP in these patients.

New-onset Geriatric Epilepsy in a Latin American Country: A Multi-centric Study from Mexico

ABSTRACT Background: In Latin America, epilepsy in the elderly is a neglected issue that has never been studied. The epidemiological transition has significantly altered the demographics of epilepsy, and therefore, we would like to draw attention to this topic. Objective: We require local real-world evidence, as the literature often depicts a different scenario, including pharmacological management. Methods: From 2007 to 2018, we recruited all patients with new-onset geriatric epilepsy (first seizure after the age of 60) tracked from ten Mexican hospitals, adding them to patients with similar characteristics from a previously published study. The diagnosis was confirmed in all patients by a certified neurologist, and they were also studied using a conventional electroencephalogram and imaging workup. Results: A diagnosis of new-onset geriatric epilepsy (Elderly patients was established in 100 cases. No specific cause was found in 26% of patients, while 42% had a stroke and 10% had neurocysticercosis (NCC). Monotherapy was the choice in 83 patients, and phenytoin was the most used drug (50%), followed by carbamazepine (25%). Conclusion: NCC remains a frequent cause of new-onset geriatric epilepsy. This distribution is not seen in the literature, mainly representing patients from wealthy economies. In our setting, financial constraints influence the choice of the drug, and newer antiepileptic drugs should be made more affordable to this population with economic and physical frailty.

A comparison of waiting times for assessment and epilepsy surgery between a Canadian and a Mexican referral center.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive transnational overview of wait times for epilepsy surgery in Canada and Mexico. Methods: We reviewed all cases referred for epilepsy surgery between 2007 and 2015 at the Saskatchewan Epilepsy Program Royal University Hospital (SEP) (n = 70; Saskatoon, Canada) and the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery (NINN) (n = 76; Mexico City, Mexico) and compared wait times, calculated as the time from diagnosis of epilepsy on assessment at an epilepsy center to epilepsy surgery. Results: Mean wait times were similar across centers. Mean patient age was 37.4 ± 9 years (NINN) and 36.7 ± 13.2 years (SEP). The mean time from epilepsy diagnosis to referral was 18.9 (NINN) and 16.9 years (SEP), p = 0.30; first consult with the epileptologist, 19.7 (NINN) and 17.4 years (p = 0.23); neuropsychology consult, 21.4 (NINN) and 17.9 years (SEP); video electroencephalogram (video-EEG) telemetry, 21.1 (NINN) and 18.6 months (SEP); initial neurosurgical consult, 21.9 (NINN) and 19.1 years (SEP) (p = 0.35); and epilepsy surgery, 19.7 (NINN) and 19.6 years (SEP) (p = 0.29). Significance: This is the first study to compare wait times between Canada and Mexico. Despite disparity in their health delivery systems and financial resources, surgical wait times appeared to be protracted in both nations, confirming that delayed treatment is a universal problem that requires collaborative scrutiny.