Marilena Vecchi

An open-label trial of levetiracetam in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy

Objective: To conduct an open-label, add-on trial on safety and efficacy of levetiracetam in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI). Patients and Methods: SMEI patients were recruited from different centers according to the following criteria: age ≥3 years; at least four tonic-clonic seizures/month during the last 8 weeks; previous use of at least two drugs. Levetiracetam was orally administrated at starting dose of approximately 10 mg/kg/day up to 50 to 60 mg/kg/day in two doses. Treatment period included a 5- to 6-week up-titration phase and a 12-week evaluation phase. Efficacy variables were responder rate by seizure type and reduction of the mean number per week of each seizure type. Analysis was performed using Fisher exact and Wilcoxon tests. Results: Twenty-eight patients (mean age: 9.4 ± 5.6 years) entered the study. Sixteen (57.1%) showed SCN1A mutations. Mean number of concomitant drugs was 2.5. Mean levetiracetam dose achieved was 2,016 mg/day. Twenty-three (82.1%) completed the trial. Responders were 64.2% for tonic-clonic, 60% for myoclonic, 60% for focal, and 44.4% for absence seizures. Number per week of tonic-clonic (median: 3 vs 1; p = 0.0001), myoclonic (median: 21 vs 3; p = 0.002), and focal seizures (median: 7.5 vs 3; p = 0.031) was significantly decreased compared to baseline. Levetiracetam effect was not related to age at onset and duration of epilepsy, genetic status, and concomitant therapy. Levetiracetam was well tolerated by subjects who completed the study. To date, follow-up ranges 6 to 36 months (mean, 16.2 ± 13.4). Conclusion: Levetiracetam add-on is effective and well tolerated in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy. Placebo-controlled studies should confirm these findings.

The natural history of ulcerative proctitis: a multicenter, retrospective study. Gruppo di Studio per le Malattie Infiammatorie Intestinali (GSMII).

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and the long term evolution of patients with a well defined initial diagnosis of ulcerative proctitis.METHODS:Patients with an original diagnosis of ulcerative proctitis who had been seen at any of 13 institutions from 1989 to 1994 were identified. Data on disease onset and subsequent evolution were recorded. In addition, 575 patients with more extensive disease, treated in the same centers, were used as controls.RESULTS:A total of 341 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. The percentage of smokers in these patients was slightly lower than in controls; no differences were found in the other clinical/demographic variables evaluated. A total of 273 patients entered long term follow-up (mean, 52 months). Proximal extension of the disease occurred in 74 of them (27.1%). The cumulative rate of proximal extension and of extension beyond the splenic flexure was 20% and 4% at 5 yr and 54% and 10% at 10 yr, respectively. The risk of proximal extension was higher in nonsmokers, in patients with >3 relapses/yr, and in patients needing systemic steroid or immunosuppressive treatment. Refractory disease was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor at multivariate analysis.CONCLUSIONS:Proximal extension of ulcerative proctitis is frequent and may occur even late after the original diagnosis. However, the risk of extension beyond the splenic flexure appears to be quite low. Smoking seems to be a protective factor against proximal extension, whereas refractoriness is a risk factor for proximal extension of the disease.

The CDKL5 disorder is an independent clinical entity associated with early-onset encephalopathy

The clinical understanding of the CDKL5 disorder remains limited, with most information being derived from small patient groups seen at individual centres. This study uses a large international data collection to describe the clinical profile of the CDKL5 disorder and compare with Rett syndrome (RTT). Information on individuals with cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) mutations (n=86) and females with MECP2 mutations (n=920) was sourced from the InterRett database. Available photographs of CDKL5 patients were examined for dysmorphic features. The proportion of CDKL5 patients meeting the recent Neul criteria for atypical RTT was determined. Logistic regression and time-to-event analyses were used to compare the occurrence of Rett-like features in those with MECP2 and CDKL5 mutations. Most individuals with CDKL5 mutations had severe developmental delay from birth, seizure onset before the age of 3 months and similar non-dysmorphic features. Less than one-quarter met the criteria for early-onset seizure variant RTT. Seizures and sleep disturbances were more common than in those with MECP2 mutations whereas features of regression and spinal curvature were less common. The CDKL5 disorder presents with a distinct clinical profile and a subtle facial, limb and hand phenotype that may assist in differentiation from other early-onset encephalopathies. Although mutations in the CDKL5 gene have been described in association with the early-onset variant of RTT, in our study the majority did not meet these criteria. Therefore, the CDKL5 disorder should be considered separate to RTT, rather than another variant.

Benign Familial Infantile Convulsions: Mapping of a Novel Locus on Chromosome 2q24 and Evidence for Genetic Heterogeneity

In 1997, a locus for benign familial infantile convulsions (BFIC) was mapped to chromosome 19q. Further data suggested that this locus is not involved in all families with BFIC. In the present report, we studied eight Italian families and mapped a novel BFIC locus within a 0.7-cM interval of chromosome 2q24, between markers D2S399 and D2S2330. A maximum multipoint HLOD score of 6.29 was obtained under the hypothesis of genetic heterogeneity. Furthermore, the clustering of chromosome 2q24-linked families in southern Italy may indicate a recent founder effect. In our series, 40% of the families are linked to neither chromosome 19q or 2q loci, suggesting that at least three loci are involved in BFIC. This finding is consistent with other autosomal dominant idiopathic epilepsies in which different genes were found to be implicated.

Genetic testing in benign familial epilepsies of the first year of life: clinical and diagnostic significance

To dissect the genetics of benign familial epilepsies of the first year of life and to assess the extent of the genetic overlap between benign familial neonatal seizures (BFNS), benign familial neonatal‐infantile seizures (BFNIS), and benign familial infantile seizures (BFIS).

Early-onset seizure variant of Rett syndrome: Definition of the clinical diagnostic criteria

BACKGROUND Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder affecting almost exclusively females. Among Rett clinical variants, the early-onset seizure variant describes girls with early onset epilepsy and it is caused by mutations in CDKL5. METHODS Four previously reported girls and five new cases with CDKL5 mutation, ranging from 14 months to 13 years, were evaluated by two clinical geneticists, classified using a severity score system based on the evaluation of 22 different clinical signs and compared with 128 classic Rett and 25 Zappella variant MECP2-mutated patients, evaluated by the same clinical geneticists. Clinical features were compared with previously described CDKL5 mutated patients. Both the statistical and the descriptive approach have been used to delineate clinical diagnostic criteria. RESULTS All girls present epilepsy with onset varying from 10 days to 3 months. Patients may present different type of seizures both at onset and during the whole course of the disease; multiple seizure types may also occur in the same individual. After treatment with antiepileptic drugs patients may experience a short seizure-free period but epilepsy progressively relapses. Typical stereotypic hand movements severely affecting the ability to grasp are present. Psychomotor development is severely impaired. In the majority of cases head circumference is within the normal range both at birth and at the time of clinical examination. CONCLUSION For the practical clinical approach we propose to use six necessary and eight supportive diagnostic criteria. Epilepsy with onset between the first week and 5 months of life, hand stereotypies, as well as severe hypotonia, are included among the necessary criteria.

Treatment of convulsive status epilepticus in childhood: Recommendations of the Italian League Against Epilepsy

The Italian League Against Epilepsy Commission Guidelines Subcommittee on Status Epilepticus (SE) has published an article on the management of SE in adults, and now presents a report on the management of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) in children, excluding the neonatal period. Childrens greater susceptibility than adults to epileptic seizures results from many factors. Earlier maturation of excitatory than inhibitory synapses, increased susceptibility and concentration of receptors for excitatory neurotransmitters, peculiar composition of the receptor subunits resulting in slower and less effective inhibitory responses, all cause the high incidence of SE in the pediatric population. The related morbidity and mortality rates, although lower than in adults, require immediate diagnosis and therapy. The division into focal and generalized, nonconvulsive and convulsive SE is applied in children and adolescents, as is the distinction in the three different stages according to the time elapsed since the start of the event and the response to drugs (initial, defined, and refractory SE). In children and adolescents, an “operational definition” is also accepted to allow earlier treatment (starting at 5–10 min). Maintenance and stabilization of vital functions, cessation of convulsions, diagnosis, and initial treatment of potentially “life‐threatening” causes are the objectives to be pursued in the management of children with CSE. The need for early pharmacologic intervention stresses the need for action in the prehospital setting, generally using rectal diazepam. In hospital, parenteral benzodiazepines are used (lorazepam, diazepam, or midazolam). When first‐line drugs fail, sodium phenytoin and phenobarbital should be used. As alternatives to phenobarbital, the following can be considered for treatment of refractory CSE: valproate, levetiracetam, and lacosamide. In cases with refractory CSE, pharmacologic options can be thiopental, midazolam, or propofol in continuous intravenous infusions to suppress electroencephalographic bursts and convulsive activity. These drugs need to be administered in intensive care units to ensure the monitoring and support of vital signs and brain electrical activity.

Familial Occurrence of Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy in Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy (SMEI) Patients with SCN1A Mutations

Summary:  Purpose: The role of the familial background in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI) has been traditionally emphasized in literature, with 25–70% of the patients having a family history of febrile seizures (FS) or epilepsy. We explored the genetic background of SMEI patients carrying SCN1A mutations to further shed light on the genetics of this disorder.

A multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of levetiracetam in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed absence epilepsy

Purpose:  To evaluate the potential efficacy of levetiracetam as an antiabsence agent in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed childhood or juvenile absence epilepsy.

Acute encephalopathy as a primary manifestation of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is characterized anatomically by an infiltration of multiple tissues with lymphocytes and haemophagocytic histiocytes. First symptoms are usually hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, and intractable fever. Up to 73% of those with HLH develop CNS involvement during the disease course. The peculiarity of the two patients presented here, a 20-month-old Italian female and a 4-year-old Moroccan female, is that the initial presenting neurological symptoms mimicked an encephalitis, anticipating the typical systemic symptoms by 1 and 4 months. They developed progressive encephalopathy accompanied by status epilepticus, one child developed a secondary hydrocephalus. In both children it was not possible to detect an underlying infection or malignant disease and there were no other cases in the family that suggested a familial form of HLH. Diagnosis and initiation of treatment was delayed because of the initial encephalopathic clinical picture and the late onset of the typical systemic features. As early diagnosis allows better therapeutical approaches, haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis should be considered in children with persistent or progressive findings of encephalopathy, especially in the absence of identification of a plausible pathogen.