Vagus nerve stimulation in children with intractable epilepsy: a randomized controlled trial.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in children with intractable epilepsy on seizure frequency and severity and in terms of tolerability and safety. METHOD: In this study, the first randomized active controlled trial of its kind in children, 41 children (23 males; 18 females; mean age at implantation 11y 2mo, SD 4y 2mo, range 3y 10mo-17y 8mo) were included. Thirty-five participants had localization-related epilepsy (25 symptomatic; 10 cryptogenic), while six participants had generalized epilepsy (four symptomatic; two idiopathic). During a baseline period of 12 weeks, seizure frequency and severity were recorded using seizure diaries and the adapted Chalfont Seizure Severity Scale (NHS3), after which the participants entered a blinded active controlled phase of 20 weeks. During this phase, half of the participants received high-output VNS (maximally 1.75mA) and the other half received low-output stimulation (0.25mA). Finally, all participants received high-output stimulation for 19 weeks. For both phases, seizure frequency and severity were assessed as during the baseline period. Overall satisfaction and adverse events were assessed by semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: At the end of the randomized controlled blinded phase, seizure frequency reduction of 50% or more occurred in 16% of the high-output stimulation group and in 21% of the low-output stimulation group (p=1.00). There was no significant difference in the decrease in seizure severity between participants in the stimulation groups. Overall, VNS reduced seizure frequency by 50% or more in 26% of participants at the end of the add-on phase The overall seizure severity also improved (p<0.001). INTERPRETATION: VNS is a safe and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment of epilepsy in children. Our results suggest that the effect of VNS on seizure frequency in children is limited. However, the possible reduction in seizure severity and improvement in well-being makes this treatment worth considering in individual children with intractable epilepsy.

The ketogenic diet as a treatment option in adults with chronic refractory epilepsy: efficacy and tolerability in clinical practice.

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that is used as a treatment for patients with difficult-to-control epilepsy. The present study assesses the efficacy and tolerability of the KD as an add-on therapy in adults with chronic refractory epilepsy. 15 adults were treated with the classical diet or MCT diet. During a follow-up period of 1 year we assessed seizure frequency, seizure severity, tolerability, cognitive performance, mood and quality of life (QOL). We found a significant reduction in seizures among the patients who followed the diet at least 1 year (n=5). Of these 5 patients, 2 had a reduction between 50 and 90%. Analyzing the study months separately, we found a seizure reduction of ≥50% in 26.6% of the patients during at least 1 month of treatment. Common side-effects were gastrointestinal disorders, loss of weight and fatigue. There was a considerable, non-significant improvement found in mood and QOL scores. Improvements were independent of reduction in seizure frequency, indicating that the effects of the KD reach further than seizure control.

Clinical impact of short tau inversion recovery MRI on staging and management in patients with cervical lymph node metastases of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the incremental diagnostic value of short tau inversion recovery (STIR) MRI to detect cervical nodal metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with cervical nodal metastases underwent MRI preceding neck dissection. Two readers evaluated MRI versus MRI with STIR. Level-based analysis was performed: interobserver agreements (kappa) for detecting normal and metastatic lymph nodes; sensitivities and specificities for detecting at least 1 metastatic lymph node per level; linear regression analysis to determine performances of MRI with STIR in detecting correct numbers of normal and metastatic lymph nodes. Histopathology was the reference standard. RESULTS: One hundred eighty neck levels were evaluated. MRI with STIR showed better kappas for metastatic and normal lymph nodes, was more accurate to estimate numbers of metastatic and normal lymph nodes, and showed improvement of sensitivities and specificities. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of STIR into the conventional MR protocol significantly improves the detection of cervical lymph node metastases.

The costs of epilepsy in three different populations of patients with epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the costs of care in three different populations of patients with epilepsy (general practices (GP), University Hospital (UH), and Epilepsy Center (EC)), and to analyse the distribution of costs by type of services for each patient group. A cost diary was developed to obtain prospective information on epilepsy-attributable service use over a period of 3 months. Similar information over the previous 3 months was obtained from a cost questionnaire. In addition, a quality of life inventory (QOLIE-31) was used. Standard cost lists were applied for the valuation of the direct cost items. A sensitivity analysis was performed for certain cost items for which no reliable data were available. One hundred and sixteen patients with established epilepsy were included, and the mean costs per patient per month (in Euros) ranged from 52.08 to 357.63. Patients from GP appeared to have lower direct costs, spent less time in seeking or undergoing a treatment, and reported lower seizure frequencies and less severe seizure types than the patients from the other patient groups. Patients from the EC reported the highest productivity changes and unemployment rates and also had the lowest scores on the QOLIE-31. The cost items anti-epileptic drugs, hospital services, unpaid care, and transportation accounted for the majority of the total direct costs.

The diagnosis of epileptic and non-epileptic seizures.

The aim of this prospective population-based study was to systematically define a cluster of diagnostic items which can assist in the early identification and classification of epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. A cohort of patients aged > or =14 years, suspected with a first epileptic seizure, were included in this study. A team of neurologists evaluated and classified all cases. Diagnostic items for epileptic and non-epileptic seizures were identified using logistic regression analysis. Three hundred and fifty cases entered this study. Distinctive features for epileptic seizures were postictal confusion (OR 0.09), an epileptiform EEG pattern (OR 0.02), and abnormal neuroimaging findings (OR 0.07), whereas for non-epileptic seizures of organic origin there was a history of hypertension (OR 7.5), and provoking factors (OR 13.4) such as exercise and warmth. Diagnostic items for seizures of non-organic origin were a history of febrile seizures (OR 5.8), treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist (OR 9.1), and presentiment of the seizure (OR 3.7) such as a feeling of choking and palpitations. A separate analysis for the patients who were systematically investigated provided some additional diagnostic items for the different subgroups of patients. For instance, back arching during the seizure for the patients with seizures of non-organic origin and female sex for the patients with non-epileptic seizures of organic origin.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of incidence studies of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the methodology of incidence studies of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures and to assess the value of their findings by summarizing their results. METHODS: A Medline literature search from January 1966 to December 1999 was conducted. In each selected study, key methodologic items such as case definition and study design were evaluated. Furthermore, a quantitative meta-analysis of the incidence data was performed. RESULTS: Forty incidence studies met the inclusion criteria. There was considerable heterogeneity in study methodology, and the methodologic quality score was generally low. The median incidence rate of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures was 47.4 and 56 per 100,000, respectively. The age-specific incidence of epilepsy was high in those aged 60 years or older, but was highest in childhood. Males had a slightly higher incidence of epilepsy (median, 50.7/100,000) than did females (median, 46.2/100,000), and partial seizures seemed to occur more often than generalized seizures. Developing countries had a higher incidence rate of epilepsy (median, 68.7/100,000) than did industrialized countries (median, 43.4/100,000). Similar results were found for unprovoked seizures. The incidence of epilepsy over time appears to decrease in children, whereas it increases in the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: The age-specific incidence of epilepsy showed a bimodal distribution with the highest peak in childhood. No definitive conclusions could be reached for the incidence of unprovoked seizures and other specific incidence rates of epilepsy. More incidence studies with an adequate study methodology are needed to explore geographic variations and time trends of the incidence of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures.