Epilepsia. Official Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a purified oral cannabidiol (CBD) capsule administered with and without food in adults with refractory epilepsy.

Methods

Adult patients who were prescribed CBD for seizures, had localization‐related intractable epilepsy with ≥4 seizures per month, and qualified for Minnesota cannabis were enrolled. A single dose of 99% pure CBD capsules was taken under both fasting (no breakfast) and fed (high fat 840‐860 calorie) conditions. Blood sampling for CBD plasma concentrations was performed under each condition between 0 and ...

Abstract

Our objective was to summarize and evaluate the rapidly expanding body of literature studying functional connectivity in childhood epilepsy. In the self‐limited childhood epilepsies, awareness of cognitive comorbidities has been steadily increasing, and recent advances in our understanding of the network effects of these disorders promise insights into the underlying neurobiology. We reviewed publications addressing functional connectivity in children with epilepsy with an emphasis on studies of children with self‐limited childhood epilepsies. The majority of studies have been published in ...

Abstract

Objective

To compare direct and indirect costs and quality of life (QoL) of pediatric and adult patients with Dravet syndrome (DS), with drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE) and in seizure remission (SR), and their caregivers, in Germany.

Methods

Questionnaire responses from 93 DS patients and their caregivers were matched by age and gender with responses from 93 DRE and 93 SR patients collected in independent studies, and were compared across main components of QoL, direct costs (patient visits, medication use, care level, medical equipment, and ...

Abstract

The Epilepsy Surgery Grading Scale (ESGS) is a simple tool that predicts a patient’s likelihood of progressing to resective surgery and becoming seizure‐free. The aim of our study was to validate the ESGS in an independent patient cohort. We retrospectively calculated the ESGS score for adult patients with drug‐resistant focal epilepsy undergoing presurgical evaluation at two reference centers for drug‐resistant epilepsy in Belgium. We classified patients into ESGS grade 1 (most favorable), grade 2 (intermediate), and grade 3 (least favorable). ...

Abstract

The use of cannabidiol (CBD) for treatment of pharmacoresistant epilepsies is increasing. CBD is metabolized via UDP‐glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and cytochrome 450 (CYP) enzymes, but information on interactions with common anticonvulsive drugs is incomplete. We report a case series of five patients receiving adjunctive treatment with CBD who showed increases in brivaracetam (BRV) levels by 95% to 280%. Only two patients reported mild adverse events, leading to a reduction of BRV in one patient. One possible mechanism contributing at least partially ...

Abstract

Objective

Currently prescribed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are ineffective in treating approximately 30% of epilepsy patients. Sulfasalazine (SAS) is an US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved drug for the treatment of Crohn disease that has been shown to inhibit the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc‐ (SXC) and decrease tumor‐associated seizures. This study evaluates the effect of SAS on distinct pharmacologically induced network excitability and determines whether it can further decrease hyperexcitability when administered with currently prescribed AEDs.

Methods

Using in vitro cortical mouse brain slices, ...

Abstract

Objective

Transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) is a common presentation in the emergency room, where patient history can usually differentiate syncope from generalized tonic‐clonic (GTC) seizures. Several serum markers, such as creatine kinase and lactate, can be helpful, especially when history is unreliable. Here, we explore a potential supporting role of electrolyte plasma levels in a case‐control study.

Methods

In our electroencephalographic database, we retrospectively identified consecutive episodes of loss of consciousness in adults seen over 3 years in our hospital emergency department for ...

Abstract

Seven large European Union (EU)–funded epilepsy‐related research projects joined forces in May 2018 in Brussels, Belgium, in a unique community building event—the epiXchange conference. During this conference, 170 investigators from the projects DESIRE, EpimiRNA, EPISTOP, EpiTarget, EpiXchange, and EpiPGX as well as the European Reference Network EpiCARE, met up with key stakeholders including representatives of the European Commission, patient organizations, commercial partners, and other European and International groups. The epiXchange conference focused on sharing and reviewing the advances made by ...