Engaging the next generation of epilepsy professionals.

The importance of engaging the next generation in broad ranging initiatives cannot be over emphasized. This is reflected by a proliferation of publications related to next-generation, training, and healthcare professionals or scientists, with almost 2000 articles published in the last 30 years, showing a marked increase in the previous two decades. Several multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations, UNESCO and the World Health Organization, have recognized the importance of engaging youth in the global agenda. Accordingly, in 2017 The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) created organizational entities focused on epilepsy and the next generation of epilepsy professionals. At the core of these is the ILAE Young Epilepsy Section (YES). Its mission is to create a new generation of epilepsy experts poised to discover and deliver state-of-the-art care for people with epilepsy well into the future, with several initiatives worldwide, including education, research collaborations, and advocacy tasks, among others. The Latin American Summer School on Epilepsy, which turns 15 in 2021, has been a steady source of early career epilepsy professional participating in YES, who are moving forward the epilepsy agenda in Latin America.

Efficacy of lacosamide in children and adolescents with drug-resistant epilepsy and refractory status epilepticus: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Lacosamide, is one of the newer antiepileptic drug approved for focal drug-resistant epilepsy as an add-on treatment in patients older than 16 years. However, there is growing evidence of its use, safety and efficacy in children. We aim to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of lacosamide in focal and generalized drug-resistant epilepsy and refractory status epilepticus in the pediatric population. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review on MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE, Google Scholar and Scielo from January 2008 to January 2017. The primary outcome was the efficacy of lacosamide in children with drug-resistant epilepsy and refractory status epilepticus. Efficacy and adverse events attributed to lacosamide were extracted from each publication and systematically reported. We performed no meta-analyses due to limited available data. RESULTS: Of 175 abstracts identified by the search, 82 were reviewed as full-text. Twenty-six articles fulfilled eligibility criteria and described outcomes in 797 patients (57% male). The majority of studies were retrospective (69%) small series (84%). On average 51% of patients had 50% or greater seizure reduction. The mean seizure freedom rate was 24%. Adverse effects occurred in 18-59% of patients. The main events were dizziness, sedation, gastrointestinal upset, mood and behavioral changes. Half of the patients with Lennox Gastaut syndrome showed 50% or greater seizure reduction, 32% did not response to lacosamide and 17% suffered seizure aggravation. CONCLUSION: Current evidence shows lacosamide as a good option in pediatric patients with focal drug-resistant epilepsy and refractory status epilepticus as an add-on therapy given its efficacy on seizure control and safety profile. The use of lacosamide in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome shows conflicting data. Large randomized controlled studies in the pediatric population are necessary to substantiate these findings.

Uso de lacosamida en pacientes pediátricos con epilepsia refractaria como terapia adjunta, revisión sistemática de la literatura / Use of Lacosamide in pediatric population with refractory epilepsy as an adjunctive therapy, a systematic review of literature

Objetivo: presentar la evidencia publicada hasta el momento acerca de la utilidad de la lacosamida en población pediátrica con epilepsia refractaria. Métodos: se realizaron búsquedas en las bases de datos electrónicas PubMed, Embase, Cochrane y Scielo, encontrando un total de 18 artículos que cumplieron los criterios de búsqueda. Hallazgos principales : lacosamida, uno de los fármacos anticonvulsivantes nuevos, ha sido aprobado como terapia adjunta en epilepsias de inicio focal y epilepsias refractarias en pacientes mayores de 16 años, pero existe creciente evidencia de su eficacia y seguridad en población pediátrica desde los 4 años. Los efectos adversos no difieren en gran medida de los demás anticonvulsivantes y su tasa de éxito es de aproximadamente el 8-40% de control total de crisis. Sin embargo, los estudios no tienen un seguimiento a largo plazo que demuestre que se mantiene este mismo control de crisis en el transcurso del tiempo. Adicionalmente, la lacosamida ofrece mejoría clínica independientemente del control de las crisis en cuanto al patrón motor y comportamental. Conclusiones: Los estudios muestran que la lacosamida es una opción segura indicada para la epilepsia de inicio focal y epilepsia refractaria en la población pediátrica como terapia adjunta, debido a su efectividad en el control de crisis, perfil de seguridad, baja tasa de efectos adversos e interacción con otros medicamentos; no obstante, se requieren estudios con mayor número de pacientes y con seguimientos más prolongados.

Objetive: to present the evidence published about the usefulness of lacosamide in pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy, in order to explain its use in this population. Methods: we conducted search in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library and Scielo and found 18 articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Findings: lacosamide, is one of the newer AED (Antiepileptic Drugs) approved for focal refractory and focal onset epilepsies as an add on treatment in patients older than 16 years. However there is growing evidence of its use, security and efficacy in pediatric population from 4 years and above. Adverse effects do not differ from others found in others AED with success seizure free rates between 8 and 40%. Studies revisited had major issues on long term following. In addition, lacosamide improves behavioral and motor skills in children despite seizure control. Conclusions: Studies shows lacosamide as a safe option in pediatric patients with focal onset and refractory epilepsies as an add on therapy given its seizure control, safety profile, low rate of adverse effects and interaction between others medications, however larger and long term studies are needed.