Brivaracetam as add-on therapy in children with developmental epileptic encephalopathies: A study of 42 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Here we present a multicenter series of patients with developmental epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) who were treated with brivaracetam (BRV) as add-on therapy. METHODS: Medical records of 42 patients with DEE treated with add-on BRV seen at four pediatric neurology centers in Argentina between January 2021 and July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: We included 42 patients (26 males, 16 females) with a mean age of 7 years (SD, ± 3.8; median, 9; range, 2-16). The children had different types of childhood-onset treatment-resistant DEEs and received BRV as add-on therapy for a mean period of 2 years (SD, ± 1.3 years; median, 1.5 years; range, 0.5-3 years). Thirty-three patients received levetiracetam (LEV) before the introduction of BRV. In nine patients, BRV was started without prior LEV because of behavioral disturbances. Three patients (9.5 %) became seizure free and 26/42 patients (62.1 %) had a greater than 50 % decrease in seizures after a mean follow-up of 21 months. Ten patients (23.8 %) had a 25-50 % seizure reduction, while seizure frequency remained unchanged in two (4.7 %) and increased in one patient (2.4 %). The interictal EEG abnormalities improved in all the responders. Adverse effects, consisting of drowsiness, irritability, and decreased appetite, were observed in seven patients (16.6 %), but did not lead to treatment discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Brivaracetam was found to be effective, safe, and well tolerated in children with DEE. In patients on LEV with behavioral disturbances, BRV may be tried. BRV may also be given without a previous trial with LEV in patients with behavioral problems.

Use of sulthiame as add-on therapy in children with non-self-limited focal epilepsies of childhood.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of sulthiame (STM) as an add-on treatment in 49 patients with non-self-limited focal epilepsies of childhood (non-SeLFE) resistant to other antiseizure medications (ASM) and/or non-pharmacological treatment. METHODS: Patients with non-SeLFE who had failed to respond to at least five previous ASM, alone or in combination, were included in the study. All patients underwent neurological examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging repeated prolonged electroencephalography (EEG) or video-EEG studies, and neurometabolic studies. School achievements and/or performance on neuropsychological tests were also assessed. Sulthiame was added in doses ranging from 10 to 40 mg/kg/day. Efficacy was measured by comparing seizure frequency before and after initiating STM therapy. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of 49 patients (59.1%) who received STM as add-on therapy had a greater than 50% decrease in seizures after a mean follow-up of 35 months. One patient (2%) became seizure-free. Fourteen patients (40%) had a 25-50% seizure reduction. The mean time of response was 5 months (range, 3.5 to 6 months). No differences were found either between patients with a response of more or less than 50% or between the response of the focal seizure types (motor or non-motor, with or without consciousness impairment). CONCLUSION: In our study, STM was found to be effective and well-tolerated in children and adolescents with non-SeLFE. In the patients who responded, improvement in the EEG was seen.

Cannabidiol in children with treatment-resistant epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures.

PURPOSE: This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of add-on cannabidiol (CBD) in treatment-resistant patients with epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures (EMAtS) (n = 22) and Sturge Weber syndrome (SWS) with myoclonic-atonic seizures (n = 4). METHODS: Patients who met the diagnostic criteria of treatment-resistant EMAtS or SWS with myoclonic-atonic seizures were included. Cannabidiol was added in doses ranging from 8 to 40 mg/kg/day. Efficacy was assessed by comparing seizure frequency before and after initiating CBD therapy. Neurologic examinations, brain magnetic resonance imaging, repeated prolonged electroencephalography (EEG) and/or video-EEG recordings, and neurometabolic studies were performed in all patients, and genetic investigations in 15. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 19 months, 15/26 patients (57.7%) who received add-on CBD had a >50% seizure decrease; three (11.5%) became seizure-free. The remaining 11 patients (42.3%) had a 25-50% seizure reduction. Drop attacks, including myoclonic-atonic seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures, as well as atypical absences and nonconvulsive status epilepticus responded well to CBD. In SWS patients, focal motor seizures without consciousness impairment and focal non-motor seizures with consciousness impairment were recognized in two each; in three a 30% reduction of focal seizures was observed. Side effects were mild and did not lead to CBD discontinuation. CONCLUSION: This study evaluating the use of add-on CBD in children with EMAtS or SWS with myoclonic-atonic seizures found that 15/26 (57.7%) had a >50% seizure reduction with good tolerability; three (11.5%) became seizure-free.

Status of epileptic spasms: A study of 21 children.

OBJECTIVE: We studied cases with long-lasting epileptic spasms (ES) considered as a spasm status analyzing type of epilepsy, epileptic syndrome, etiology, treatment, and outcome in 21 patients. METHODS: We evaluated the charts of 21 patients seen between June 2006 and July 2017 who met the electroclinical diagnostic criteria of a spasm status. The spasm status was defined as continuous ES lasting 30 min or longer. RESULTS: The type of ES was mixed in nine patients, flexion in seven, and extension in five. Epileptic spasms were asymmetric in three patients and unilateral in two. They occurred on awakening in all patients, while during sleep they decreased in all and disappeared in three cases. The duration of the spasm status ranged from 40 min to 15 days according to the seizure diaries of patients and video-EEG recordings. Two well-defined subgroups of patients were recognized; the first included patients with West syndrome (WS) and the second other types of severe non-West epilepsy syndromes. The spasm status responded well to oral vigabatrin (VGB) in four patients, oral topiramate (TPM) in three, oral corticosteroids in one, and cannabidiol in another patient. A good response was observed with benzodiazepines in six patients, with phenytoin (PH) in two, and with phenobarbital (PB) in one. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was effective in one patient and the ketogenic diet in two. Prognosis depends on the etiology. CONCLUSION: In this study we identified patients with WS and other types of severe non-West epilepsy syndromes who had a particular type of long-lasting ES that, in spite of its long duration does not strictly meet the criteria of the International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification of status epilepticus, may be considered a spasm status.

Panayiotopoulos syndrome: Unusual clinical manifestations.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively analyzed the electroclinical features, treatment, and outcome of patients with Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS) who presented with unusual clinical manifestations. METHOD: A retrospective, descriptive, multicenter study was conducted evaluating 44 patients with PS who had seizures with an unusual semiology. Data from patients with PS seen at eight Argentine centers between April 2000 and April 2019 were collected. RESULTS: Twelve patients (29.2%) had ictal syncope or syncope-like epileptic seizures. Three children (7.3%) had recurrent episodes of vomiting. Four patients (9.7%) presented with urinary incontinence associated with autonomic signs and consciousness impairment. One child had hiccups with autonomic manifestations followed by eye deviation. One boy had episodes of laughter with autonomic symptoms followed by loss of consciousness. Six patients (14.6%) had hyperthermia without acute febrile illness with autonomic symptoms as the first manifestation. Six others (14.6%) had focal motor seizures characterized by eye and head deviation in four and eyelid blinking in two. Four patients (9.7%) had ictal headache as the initial manifestation followed by nausea and vomiting. Two children (4.8%) had their first seizure while asleep associated with cardiorespiratory arrest. Two children (4.8%) had oral automatisms, such as sucking and chewing. In two children (4.8%) coughing was the initial manifestation followed by emetic symptoms. One patient (2.3%) had vertigo with a sensation of fear, with eye deviation and unresponsiveness. One child started with continuous spikes and waves during slow sleep, behavior disturbances, and emetic symptoms. CONCLUSION: In this study, evidence of the existence of unusual clinical cases of PS with typical EEG patterns was found. Outcome was excellent.

Self-limited epilepsy of childhood with affective seizures: A well-defined epileptic syndrome?

OBJECTIVE: Here we present cases of focal epilepsy with affective symptoms analyzing seizure characteristics, EEG pattern, treatment, and outcome. METHODS: A multicenter, descriptive, retrospective study was conducted evaluating 18 patients with self-limited epilepsy who presented with seizures with affective symptoms seen between April 2000 and April 2018 at eight Argentinian centers. RESULTS: Eighteen patients had focal seizures with affective symptoms; all of them had affective symptoms characterized by sudden fright or terror and screaming. Seizures started with manifestations of sudden fright or terror manifested by a facial expression of fear; consciousness was mildly impaired in 15/18 patients. Eleven of the patients also had autonomic manifestations, such as pallor, sweating, and abdominal pain. In addition, four of these 11 patients had ictus emeticus and one also presented with unilateral deviation of the eyes and head. Speech arrest, salivation, glottal noises, and chewing or swallowing movements were observed in 2/18 patients at the onset of the affective seizures. Two others also had mild asymmetric dystonic seizures involving both hands and arms. Three patients had tonic deviation of the mouth involving the lips and tongue as well pharyngeal and laryngeal muscles, resulting in anarthria and drooling. Two patients had brief hemifacial focal clonic seizures. CONCLUSION: Affective manifestations associated or not with motor and/or autonomic manifestations and associated with typical EEG features of the idiopathic focal epilepsies of childhood is a particular presentation of self-limited focal epilepsy in childhood.

Vortex-enhanced coherent-illumination phase diversity for phase retrieval in coherent imaging systems.

We propose a phase-retrieval method based on the numerical optimization of a new objective function using coherent phase-diversity images as inputs for the characterization of aberrations in coherent imaging systems. By employing a spatial light modulator to generate multiple-order spiral phase masks as diversities, we obtain an increase in the accuracy of the retrieved phase compared with similar state-of-the-art phase-retrieval techniques that use the same number of input images. We present simulations that show a consistent advantage of our technique, and experimental validation where our implementation is used to characterize a highly aberrated 4F optical system.

Purified cannabidiol as add-on therapy in children with treatment-resistant infantile epileptic spasms syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess efficacy, safety, and tolerability of highly purified cannabidiol oil (CBD) as add-on therapy for the treatment of a series of patients with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) who were resistant to antiseizure medications and ketogenic dietary therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 28 infants with treatment-resistant IESS aged 6 to 21 months who received highly purified CBD between July 2021 and June 2023. Data were collected on neurological examinations, EEG, Video-EEG and polygraphic recordings, imaging studies, laboratory testing, and seizure frequency, type, and duration, and adverse effects. As the primary outcome, a reduction of frequency of epileptic spasms (ES) was assessed. ES freedom was considered after a minimal time of 1 month without ES. RESULTS: Sixteen male and 12 female patients, aged 6-21 months, who received CBD for treatment-resistant IESS were included. The etiology was structural in 10, Down syndrome in seven, genetic in nine, and unknown in two. Initial CBD dose was 2 mg/kg/day, which was uptitrated to a median dose of 25 mg/kg/day (range, 2-50). Prior to CBD initiation, patients had a median of 69 ES in clusters per day (range, 41-75) and of 10 focal seizures per week (range, 7-13). After a mean and median follow-up of 15 and 12.5 months (range, 6-26 months), seven patients were ES free and 12 had a >50 % ES reduction. Five of seven patients (71 %) with Down syndrome and 3/5 (60 %) with cerebral palsy responded well. Adverse effects were mild. EEG improvements correlated with ES reductions. CONCLUSION: In this study evaluating the use of CBD in children with IESS, 19/28 (67.8 %) had a more than 50 % ES reduction with good tolerability.

A new species and a new record of Diatrypaceae from Panama.

Based on opportunistic collections of fungi in Panama, two species of Diatrypaceae (Xylariales) are described and illustrated. One of them, Eutypella semicircularis, found twice on branches probably belonging to Alnus acuminata, is new to science. It differs from known species of Eutypella and Peroneutypa with strongly allantoid or semicircular ascospores, such as E. crustata and P. curvispora, in having larger ascospores that sometimes almost form a circle and broader stromata, among other differences. Molecular data of the ITS rDNA region show that the new species is a sister taxon of Eutypella cerviculata, the type species of the genus Eutypella. Diatrype bermudensis on stems of Guadua angustifolia is reported from Panama for the first time, being known up to now apparently only from Bermuda.

More than one self-limited epilepsy of childhood in the same patient: A multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the evolution of the electroclinical picture of patients with different types of self-limited epilepsy of childhood (SLEC) occurring at the same or at different times with or without atypical evolutions as well as patients with SLEC associated with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective, descriptive study was conducted evaluating patients with SLEC who had focal seizures of different types of SLEC including atypical evolutions as well as SLEC associated with absence epilepsy seen at eight Argentinian centers between April 2000 and April 2019. Of 7705 patients with SLEC, aged between 2 and 14 years (mean, 7.5 years), of whom 2013 were female and 5692 male (ratio, 1:2.8), 5068 patients had SLECTS, 2260 patients had self-limited childhood occipital epilepsy Panayiotopoulos type (SLE-P), 356 had self-limited childhood occipital epilepsy Gastaut type (SLE-G), and 21 had self-limited epilepsy with affective seizures (SLEAS). Electroclinical features typical of more than one SLEC syndrome were recognized in 998 (13 %) children. RESULTS: We recognized three well-defined groups of patients. The most frequent association was SLE-P and SLECTS, the paradigmatic type, but associations of SLE-P and SLE-G, SLECTS and SLE-G, and SLEAS and SLE-P or SLECTS were also recognized. The second-most-common association was SLEC and an atypical evolution. In this group, the most frequent combination was SLECTS with its atypical evolution, opercular status epilepticus, epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-waves during slow sleep, or Landau-Kleffner syndrome. SLE-P and SLE-G associated with an atypical evolution were also identified. The third, less-frequent group had SLECTS, SLE-P, or SLE-G associated with CAE. These cases support the concept that the different types of SLEC are part of a self-limited childhood seizure susceptibility syndrome. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that 13 % of our patients with SLEC have with different types of SLEC occurring at the same or at different times with or without atypical evolutions - i.e. CSWSS - as well as patients with SLEC associated with CAE, supporting the concept of the self-limited childhood seizure susceptibility syndrome.

Self-limited epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes: A study of 46 patients with unusual clinical manifestations.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively analyzed the seizure characteristics, EEG pattern, treatment, and outcome in a series of patients with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SLECTS) who presented with unusual clinical manifestations. METHOD: A retrospective, descriptive, multicenter study was conducted evaluating 46 patients with SLECTS who had seizures with an unusual semiology. We collected data from patients with SLECTS seen at eight Argentine centers between April 1998 and April 2018. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (28.2 %) had seizures with affective symptoms characterized by sudden fright and autonomic disturbances and mild impairment of consciousness. Eleven patients (24.8 %) had frequent seizures characterized by unilateral facial sensorimotor symptoms, oropharyngolaryngeal manifestations, and speech arrest with sialorrhea only when awake. Seven patients (15.3 %) started with opercular epileptic status with unilateral or bilateral clonic seizures of the mouth with speech arrest and sialorrhea when awake and during sleep. Seven patients (15.3 %) had postictal Todd's paralysis after unilateral clonic seizures with facial and limb movements lasting between 60 min and 130 min. Six patients (13 %) had negative myoclonus, two in a unilateral upper limb, two in a unilateral lower limb, and the remaining two patients had frequent falls. One patient (2.1 %) had focal sensorimotor seizures characterized by unilateral numbness in the cheeks and one upper limb, additional to unilateral facial clonic seizures, speech arrest, and sialorrhea. The remaining patient (2.1 %) had sporadic focal tonic-dystonic seizures in the left upper limb only during sleep. CONCLUSION: In our study, we found evidence of the existence of unusual clinical cases of SLECTS with typical EEG patterns and an excellent prognosis.

De novo absence status epilepticus in three paediatric patients: a new idiopathic epilepsy syndrome?

Absence status epilepticus (ASE) is a prolonged generalized absence seizure that usually lasts for hours and can even last for days. The main symptom is the altered content of consciousness while the patient may be alert and partly responsive. We describe the electroclinical features, treatment, and evolution of three paediatric patients with de novo ASE with an excellent response to valproic acid (VPA). Three paediatric patients presented with non-convulsive status epilepticus and an acute confusional state with impaired consciousness and EEG abnormalities compatible with typical ASE, associated with generalized spike-and-wave paroxysms at 2.5-4 Hz, as the first epileptic manifestation at eight, three, and nine years of age, respectively. No significant personal and/or family history was reported. None of the patients had absence seizures or any other type of seizure before the occurrence of the ASE. All of them responded well to VPA and had a benign disease course. Neuroradiological imaging was normal in all patients. These three cases presented with ASE as the first manifestation of their epilepsy; none of them had any other type of seizure before the event or during their follow-up, which was long-term in one. All patients had an excellent response to VPA. Our three cases presented with generalized typical ASE as the first manifestation of their epilepsy. De novo ASE might be considered as a well-defined idiopathic epilepsy syndrome or a variant of an idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome, such as a particular type or variant of childhood absence epilepsy.

Sulthiame add-on therapy in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: A study of 44 patients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of sulthiame as an add-on treatment in 44 patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) refractory to other antiepileptic drugs and/or non-pharmacological treatment. METHODS: Patients were selected according to the following criteria: (1) age 4 years or older, (2) a diagnosis of LGS refractory to at least four previous antiepileptic drugs, alone or in combination. Neurologic examinations, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and repeated prolonged electroencephalography (EEG) or video-EEG studies were performed in all cases. Data on school achievements and/or neuropsychological evaluations were obtained during the follow-up of 1-3 years. Sulthiame was added in doses ranging from 5 to 30 mg/kg/day. RESULTS: Twenty-seven of 44 patients (61%) who received sulthiame as add-on therapy had a greater than 50% seizure decrease after a mean follow-up period of 20 months. Complete seizure freedom was achieved in one patient (2%). Four patients (9%) had a 25-50% seizure decrease, while seizure frequency remained unchanged in 12 (25%), and was increased in one (2%). Hyperpnoea and dyspnoea were observed in four patients, and nausea, drowsiness, and headache were seen in one patient each; however, these manifestations were transient and discontinuation of sulthiame was not necessary. Two other patients had decreased appetite, skin rash, and irritability. The adverse effects were mild and transient in these nine cases. CONCLUSION: Sulthiame as an adjunctive therapy achieved a more than 50% seizure reduction in 27 of 44 patients with LGS with only mild or moderate adverse effects.

A study of 63 cases with eyelid myoclonia with or without absences: type of seizure or an epileptic syndrome?

PURPOSE: Eyelid myoclonia and absences (EMA) induced by eye closure associated with brief, fast, and generalized paroxysms of polyspikes and waves was considered as an epileptic syndrome and a type of seizure as well. We analyzed the electroclinical features and evolution of EMA, and tried to determine if it represents a well-defined epileptic syndrome or a non-specific condition associated to other epilepsies. METHODS: Between June 1994 and June 2005, 63 patients who met diagnostic criteria of EMA were enrolled in the study and have been followed up to the present time. RESULTS: Two main groups could be identified. The first group was divided into two subgroups. One subgroup of 28 patients presented EMA associated with infrequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), and the other 1 of 9 patients presented early-onset EMA refractory to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), associated or not with GTCS and mental retardation. Four of them had self-induced seizures. The second group included 26 patients with EMA associated with GTCS and/or massive myoclonias, or GTCS induced by intermittent photic stimulation. All these patients had electroclinical features compatible with idiopathic generalized epilepsies. CONCLUSION: In the first group, EMA should be considered as a photosensitive idiopathic epileptic syndrome. A subgroup of early-onset of EMA refractory to AEDs, associated or not with GTCS and mental retardation should also be considered as a variant or a distinct photosensitive idiopathic epileptic syndrome. Finally, in the second group EMA may correspond to a type of seizures in idiopathic generalized epilepsies.

Adiciones al conocimiento de los Diatrypales (Ascomycotina) de México / Additons to the knowledge of the Diatrypales (Ascomycotina) from Mexico

Se presentan las especies conocidas de los Diatrypales de México y se hace un análisis sobre su distribución con base en los ejemplares depositados en los herbarios de México y las recolecciones realizadas al oriente y sureste del país

Primer registro en México de Patinellaria cubensis (Discomycetes, Helotiales) y su asociación con Xylaria arbuscula / First record in Mexico of Patinellaria cubensis (Discomycetes, Helotiales) and its association with Xylaria arbuscula

se registra por primera vez dce México Patinellaria cubensis (B. & C.) Denn. (Discomycetes, helotiales) y se discute su relación con Xyxlaria arbuscula Sacc. El género Patinellaria es también registrdo por primera ocasión del país

Ascomycetes lignicolas de México: I. Diatrypales / Lignicolous Ascomycetes from México: I. Diatrypales

Los autores presentan el estudio de seis especies de Ascomicetos lignícolas, pertenecientes al Orden Diatrypales. Dichas especies son: Diatrype albopruinosa (Schw.) Cooke, D. capnostoma B. & Rav., D. tumida E. & E., Eutypa flavovirens (Pers. ex Fr.) Til., Eutrypella prunastri (Pers. ex Fr.) Sacc. y Diatrypella verrucaeformis var. spegazziniana Sacc. Todas las especies y géneros citados, son nuevos registros para México

Primer registro de Balansia cyperi (fungi) en México / First record of Balansia cyperi (fungi) in Mexico

Se registra por primera vez en México Balansai cyperi sobre inflorescencias de Cyperus elegans en un pastizal pantanoso del estado de Veracruz

Producción natural de Cookeina sulcipes (Ascomycotina, pezizales) en la región de Tapachula, Chiapas (México) / Natural production of Cookeina sulcipes (Ascomycotina, pezizales) in the Tapachula region, Chiapas (Mexico)

Se evaluó la producción del hongo comestible Cookeina sulcipes, en dos cuadrados de 100 m² cada uno, en una plantación de cacao dentro de la región tropical de Tapachula, Chiapas. La producción de cuerpos fructíferos de 31.7864.62 kg/ha