COVID-19 pandemic influence on epilepsy course in pediatric patients.

INTRODUCTION: In 2020, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared as a global pandemic. Self-reported stress, anxiety, and insomnia, which are believed to be common triggers for epilepsy, are more likely to occur. We aimed to establish the influence of COVID-19 pandemic itself on changes in the daily life routine related to pandemic on epilepsy course in pediatric patients. The unique form of clinical care which is telemedicine was also taken into consideration. We wanted to evaluate patients' satisfaction with telemedicine and if changing stationary visits into telemedicine influenced epilepsy course in our patients. METHODS: Patients, who attended developmental neurology outpatient clinic in the period March-December 2020 were collected. As patients were minors, legal guardians were asked to fill out the questionnaire. Patients were divided according to the outcome into three groups: those with a worsened, stable, or improved course of epilepsy during the pandemic. Appropriate statistical tests for two-group and multi-group comparisons have been implemented. Post hoc p values were also calculated. RESULTS: Four hundred and two questionnaires were collected. Most of the patients had a stable course of epilepsy during the pandemic; in 13% of participants an improvement has been observed, worsening of the disease was seen in 16% of patients. Age, sex, type of epilepsy, number of seizure incidents before pandemic, and duration of the disease had no statistically significant connection with changes in the course of the disease. Behavioral changes and altered sleep patterns were found to be more common in the worsened group. Fifty-eight percent of patients were satisfied with telemedicine. Poorer satisfaction was connected with less frequent visits, cancellation of scheduled appointments, and lack of help in case of need in an emergency situation. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy course in pediatric patients seems to be stable during COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep disturbances and changes in a child's behavior may be related to increase in seizure frequency. Telemedicine is an effective tool for supervising children with epilepsy. Patients should be informed about possible ways of getting help in urgent cases.

Prevalence of arterial hypertension and the number and classes of antihypertensive drugs prescribed for patients late after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: There are limitations of the use of several classes of antihypertensive drugs in patients after kidney transplantation (KTx), as well as contradictory opinions on their effects on progression of graft dysfunction. In this study we assessed the prevalence of arterial hypertension (HA) and the antihypertensive agents used by the patients long after KTx. MATERIAL/METHODS: This retrospective evaluation of the number and classes of antihypertensive drugs was based on medical records of 348 patients (140 F, 208 M; mean age 49 ± 13 years) late after KTx (mean time after KTx 78 ± 43 months). The data were related to graft function. RESULTS: Ninety-three percent of patients after KTx required antihypertensive therapy. Only 8.7% were treated with 1 agent (mean eGFR 65.1 ± 27.4 ml/min), 26.3% received 2 drugs (eGFR 60.0 ± 25.8 ml/min), 34.2% received 3 drugs (eGFR 55.5 ± 23.4 ml/min), 20.1% received 4 drugs (eGFR 54.9 ± 24.9 ml/min), and 10.5% received ≥ 5 drugs (eGFR 45.9 ± 22.0 ml/min). The number of antihypertensive medications increased along with the deterioration of graft function. Dihydropyridine calcium antagonists (CCB) were the most common class of drugs recommended to the patients after KTx (81%), followed by ß-adrenergic antagonists (74.4%); α-antagonists (40.2%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (38.7%), diuretics (34.1%), clonidine (17.8%) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (9.5%). CONCLUSIONS: HA is highly prevalent in KTx patients. Multidrug therapy is usually required for the treatment of HA in this population. Dihydropyridine CCB is the most common class of antihypertensive drugs used by them. Graft function is a determining factor in the number of antihypertensive agents.