EEG-Findings during long-term treatment with everolimus in TSC-associated and therapy-resistant epilepsies in children.

Abstract

AIM:

This prospective observational study evaluated the long-term EEG changes in children treated with everolimus (EVO) for refractory TSC-associated epilepsy. Changes in EEG-abnormalities were related to developmental outcomes.

METHODS:

Thirteen children treated with EVO were examined for EEG-recorded seizures and interictal epileptic discharges (IED) during a 72-hour-video-EEG-monitoring, which was performed at baseline and repeated at follow-up intervals of at least 9 months. Antiseizure medication was left unchanged for at least 27 months. Changes in cognitive developmental parameters were related to reduction of seizures and IED at the last monitoring.

RESULTS:

We found a significant reduction of recorded seizures and IED during sleep at the first as well as the last follow-up recording. The reduction of IED was especially prominent during sleep. For patients who continued for more than one monitoring under EVO (n = 8), number of seizures further decreased. In patients with developmental examination (n = 9), we observed that only (nearly) full cessation of IED was related to acquisition of new skills.

DISCUSSION:

In children with TSC, EVO was effective in reducing recorded seizures and IED; long-term EVO treatment led to a more pronounced reduction and an improvement of nocturnal IED even when the patient was initially not seizure-free. Cessation of IED in children with developmental improvement may point to the importance of healthy sleep for cognition.

• Authors: Gert Wiegand, Natia Japaridze, Kristina Gröning, Ulrich Stephani, Navah E Kadish
• Journal: Seizure (Seizure) Vol. 103 Pg. 101-107 (Dec 2022) ISSN: 1532-2688 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 36370680 (Publication Type: Observational Study, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical References

• Everolimus

Topics

• Child
• Humans
• Drug Resistant Epilepsy (drug therapy)
• Electroencephalography
• Epilepsy (drug therapy)
• Everolimus (therapeutic use)
• Seizures (drug therapy, etiology, diagnosis)