Clinical Therapeutic and Management Strategies for Epilepsy
A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Neurology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 3 July 2024 | Viewed by 5031
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The quality of life (QOL) of children suffering from childhood epilepsy may be associated with clinical and social variables. Among these variables, seizure severities, including frequent seizures and status epileptics, have been identified as important predictors of QOL. In addition, frequent interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) on EEG may also accompany transient cognitive/behavioral impairments. Moreover, frequent seizures and/or IEDs may play a role as mediators of emotional responses including stigma and fatigue. Thus, seizure severities and IEDs are important QOL-related factors. Though children with epilepsy do not always exhibit neuropsychological problems, seizure severities and IEDs on EEG may be associated with neuropsychological impairments. To prevent these disturbances, we should appropriately treat patients to suppress seizures and EEG abnormalities as early as possible. The optimal treatment strategy should be chosen to mitigate seizures and EEG abnormalities as soon as possible and accomplish the most favorable prognosis for children with epilepsy. There is thus a need for the development of antiseizure medications with novel mechanisms of action that have the potential to improve outcomes. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the context of QOL-related factors, treatment, and the therapeutic management and strategies for children with epilepsy.
Dr. Hideaki Kanemura
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- quality of life (QOL)
- frontal
- behavior
- stigma
- seizure severity
- interictal epileptiform discharge (IED)
- antiseizure medication
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Correlation between the efficacy of lacosamide and its blood level for the patients with focal epilepsy
Abstract：Objectives: In this study, we analyzed the optimal range of lacosamide (LCM) blood level for the patients with focal epilepsy. For that purpose, the correlation between the LCM dosage and blood level, and the correlation between the efficacy of LCM and each blood levels were considered. Methods: 101 patients (45 females, 56 males) were treated with LCM. The initial dosage was 1-2 mg/kg/day. The maintenance dosage was increased within a range not exceeding 12 mg/kg/day. Their samplings were done at 1 month after levels reached steady state, if the LCM treatment has been continued, were done at 6, 12 months after, too. The efficacy of LCM was evaluated by the reduction in epileptic seizure rate (RR) at the time of blood sampling. The level of actual concentration, the calculated peak/trough concentrations and the levels for each type of seizure, were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The positive correlation was seen between the levels and dosages (r =0.446). However, no correlation was observed between the levels and RR. Significant differences were identified in the levels between the effective group (RR≧50%) and the ineffective group (RR <50%)(P <0.001, peak; P =0.013, trough; P =0.001). The optimal range of LCM was advocated 7.0-10.5 µg/dL. The range was set so that the effective and ineffective groups did not overlap. Conclusions: The positive correlation of LCM blood levels and maintenance dosages was proven, and the optimal range was set.
