Management Strategies For Electrical Status Epilepticus During Sleep

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Electrical status epilepticus during slow wave sleep is a condition in which the epileptic patient starts to develop neurocognitive deterioration, any type of seizures and continuous electrical activity in the EEG during non rapid eye movement sleep. It is an age related condition and will resolve spontaneously at around the age of puberty. However if left untreated or treatment is delayed, it may lead to permanent neurocognitive deterioration. Thus early diagnosis and treatment is essential in these children to preserve neurocognitive function.

Detailed Description
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Electrical status epilepticus in sleep (ESES), also known as continuous spikes and waves during slow sleep (CSWS), is an age related, self - limiting disorder characterized by: epilepsy with different seizure types, neuropsychological regression, and typical EEG pattern of continuous epileptiform activity during non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM). During wakefulness, the EEG shows focal/multifocal spikes that increase in frequency during the acute stage. During sleep, ESES appears and is characterized by (1) marked potentiation of epileptiform discharges during non-REM sleep, leading to (2) a (near)-continuous, bilateral, or occasionally lateralized slow spikes and waves, (3) and these spikes and waves occur during a significant proportion of the non-REM sleep with a threshold ranging from 25% to 85% The exact incidence of CSWS is not known. In pediatric neurology clinics, a reported frequency of 0.2% of childhood epilepsies most probably underestimates the incidence of CSWS. CSWS is a devastating syndrome, which requires prompt treatment, the efficacy of which is checked with regular intervals, e.g. three or six months. Although epilepsy resolves with time in most cases, many children are left with significant cognitive or language impairment. Longer duration of ESES appears to be the major predictor of poor outcome. So, early recognition and effective therapy are necessary to improve long-term prognosis in this condition. The goal of treatment is not only to control clinical seizures but also to improve neuropsychological functions and prevent potential cognitive deterioration. There was no agreement on best treatment, but potential candidates included high-dose benzodiazepines, valproate, levetiracetam, and corticosteroids.

Official Title
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Management Strategies for Electrical Status Epilepticus During Sleep

Conditions
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Epilepsy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: corticosteroid


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: All epileptic patients above 2 years of age presenting with neuropsychological deterioration, seizures and ESES in NREM sleep. The degree of epileptic activity during sleep will be measured and expressed as a spike wave index (SWI), which is defined as the total duration of continuous epileptic activity relative to total slow sleep duration. SWI must be at least 25% or more. Exclusion Criteria: Any epileptic patient not presenting with typical EEG findings and neurocognitive regression.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 2 Years
Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Drug: corticosteroid|Each patient will be subjected to a one month course of steroids and then re-evaluated|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cognitive ability | Change in cognitive ability in response to steroids and benzodiazepines by IQ assessment using using Standford - Binnet scales version V. | IQ measured before treatment and after completing treatment course and then every three months for one year | 
| Interictal epileptiform activity | epileptiform activity will be assessed by EEG recordings during sleep. The degree of epileptic activity during sleep will be measured and expressed as a spike wave index (SWI), which is defined as the total duration of continuous epileptic activity relative to total slow sleep duration. | EEG will be done every three months for upto one year after discontinuation of therapy | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in seizure frequency | Compare the frequency of seizures before the start of treatment and after the start of treatment. | Measured before and one year after treatment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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electrical status epilepticus during slow wave sleep, seizure, cognition, continuous spikes and waves during sleep