scholarly journals Intrathecal Infusion of Autologous Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells in Autoimmune Refractory Epilepsy: Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzbieta Szczepanik ◽  
Hanna Mierzewska ◽  
Dorota Antczak-Marach ◽  
Anna Figiel-Dabrowska ◽  
Iwona Terczynska ◽  
...  

Objective/Purpose. Evaluation of efficacy and safety of autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) treatment in autoimmune refractory epilepsy. Patients. Six patients with proven or probable autoimmune refractory epilepsy (2 with Rasmussen encephalitis, 2 with antineuronal autoantibodies in serum, and 2 with possible FIRES) were included in the project with approval of the Bioethics Committee. Method. Intrathecal injection of autologous ADRC acquired through liposuction followed by enzymatic isolation was performed. The procedure was repeated 3 times every 3 months with each patient. Neurological status, brain MRI, cognitive function, and antiepileptic effect were monitored during 12 months. Results. Immediately after the procedure, all patients were in good condition. In some cases, transient mildly elevated body temperature, pain in regions of liposuction, and slight increasing number of seizures during 24 hours were observed. During the next months, some improvements in school, social functioning, and manual performance were observed in all patients. One patient has been seizure free up to the end of trial. In other patients, frequency of seizures was different: from reduced number to the lack of improvement (3-year follow-up). Conclusion. Autologous ADRC therapy may emerge as a promising option for some patients with autoimmune refractory epilepsy. Based on our trial and other clinical data, the therapy appears to be safe and feasible. Antiepileptic efficacy proved to be various; however, some abilities improved in all children. No signs of psychomotor regression were observed during the first year following the treatment.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Francesco Nicita ◽  
Chiara Aiello ◽  
Gessica Vasco ◽  
Massimiliano Valeriani ◽  
Fabrizia Stregapede ◽  
...  

The PLP1 gene, located on chromosome Xq22, encodes the proteolipid protein 1 and its isoform DM20. Mutations in PLP1 cause a spectrum of white matter disorders of variable severity. Here we report on four additional HEMS patients from three families harboring three novel PLP1 mutations in exon 3B detected by targeted next-generation sequencing. Patients experienced psychomotor delay or nystagmus in the first year of age and then developed ataxic–spastic or ataxic syndrome, compatible with a phenotype of intermediate severity in the spectrum of PLP1-related disorders. Regression occurred at the beginning of the third decade of the eldest patient. Extrapyramidal involvement was rarely observed. Brain MRI confirmed the involvement of structures that physiologically myelinate early, although the pattern of abnormalities may differ depending on the age at which the study is performed. These new cases contribute to expanding the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of HEMS. Additional studies, especially enriched by systematic functional evaluations and long-term follow-up, are welcome to better delineate the natural history of this rare hypomyelinating leukodystrophy.


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 810-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Bosca ◽  
LM Villar ◽  
F. Coret ◽  
MJ Magraner ◽  
M. Simó-Castelló ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the presence of lipid-specific oligoclonal IgM bands (LS-OCMB) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) influences the response to treatment with beta-interferon in relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. We performed a collaborative prospective study including RRMS patients with brain MRI and LS-OCMB studies performed before starting interferon treatment. The primary endpoint was the risk of having a relapse after treatment initiation. Secondary endpoints included relapse rate, relapse-rate reduction, proportion of relapse-free patients and proportion of patients with sustained disability increase during follow-up. One-hundred and two patients were included. After a mean follow-up of 37.4 months, the risk of suffering a relapse was two-fold higher in patients with LS-OCMB (hazard ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.1—3.8). LS-OCMB+ patients showed lower reduction in relapse rate (51.8% versus 80.8%; p < 0.0001), higher relapse rate in the first year (0.8 versus 0.2; p = 0.001), lower proportion of relapse-free patients (25% versus 61.3%; p = 0.003), and higher proportion of patients with sustained 1.0 increase in the Expanded Disability Status Score (45% versus 12.9%; p = 0.0003). In conclusion, LS-OCMB can have an influence on the response to interferon treatment in RRMS patients. They could be used as a biological marker to predict high inflammatory activity after treatment.


2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Domeier ◽  
Heidi Dewar ◽  
Nicole Nasby-Lucas

A project was initiated in the autumn of 2000 to document the mortality of striped marlin caught on recreational fishing tackle, with a follow-up study conducted in autumn of 2001. Fish were caught using typical recreational fishing methods and 80 pop-up satellite archival tags were deployed with new software and mechanical release mechanisms that allowed tags to detach and transmit early if the fish died. The first year study was also designed to compare the effectiveness and associated mortality of circle hooks versus J-hooks, while the second year study compared offset and non-offset circle hooks. All fish were caught on live bait. Circle hooks were found to be equally effective in hooking and landing striped marlin and far less likely to cause serious bleeding or become lodged in areas other than the mouth. Non-offset and 5° offset circle hooks had very similar performance. Depth and temperature records allowed us to determine the fate of individual marlin following release. In total, 16 of 61 fish died (mortality rate of 26.2%), all within 5 days of release (mean 1.5 days). Injury was a clear predictor of mortality; 100% of fish that were bleeding from the gill cavity died, 63% of fish hooked deep died, and 9% of those released in good condition died.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadime Yuksel ◽  
Safa Celik ◽  
Filiz Daskafa ◽  
Nilufer Keser ◽  
Elif Odabas ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bianca K. den Ottelander ◽  
Robbin de Goederen ◽  
Marie-Lise C. van Veelen ◽  
Stephanie D. C. van de Beeten ◽  
Maarten H. Lequin ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThe authors evaluated the long-term outcome of their treatment protocol for Muenke syndrome, which includes a single craniofacial procedure.METHODSThis was a prospective observational cohort study of Muenke syndrome patients who underwent surgery for craniosynostosis within the first year of life. Symptoms and determinants of intracranial hypertension were evaluated by longitudinal monitoring of the presence of papilledema (fundoscopy), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; with polysomnography), cerebellar tonsillar herniation (MRI studies), ventricular size (MRI and CT studies), and skull growth (occipital frontal head circumference [OFC]). Other evaluated factors included hearing, speech, and ophthalmological outcomes.RESULTSThe study included 38 patients; 36 patients underwent fronto-supraorbital advancement. The median age at last follow-up was 13.2 years (range 1.3–24.4 years). Three patients had papilledema, which was related to ophthalmological disorders in 2 patients. Three patients had mild OSA. Three patients had a Chiari I malformation, and tonsillar descent < 5 mm was present in 6 patients. Tonsillar position was unrelated to papilledema, ventricular size, or restricted skull growth. Ten patients had ventriculomegaly, and the OFC growth curve deflected in 3 patients. Twenty-two patients had hearing loss. Refraction anomalies were diagnosed in 14/15 patients measured at ≥ 8 years of age.CONCLUSIONSPatients with Muenke syndrome treated with a single fronto-supraorbital advancement in their first year of life rarely develop signs of intracranial hypertension, in accordance with the very low prevalence of its causative factors (OSA, hydrocephalus, and restricted skull growth). This illustrates that there is no need for a routine second craniofacial procedure. Patient follow-up should focus on visual assessment and speech and hearing outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-208
Author(s):  
Ravindra Arya ◽  
Francesco T. Mangano ◽  
Paul S. Horn ◽  
Sabrina K. Kaul ◽  
Serena K. Kaul ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThere is emerging data that adults with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) without a discrete lesion on brain MRI have surgical outcomes comparable to those with hippocampal sclerosis (HS). However, pediatric TLE is different from its adult counterpart. In this study, the authors investigated if the presence of a potentially epileptogenic lesion on presurgical brain MRI influences the long-term seizure outcomes after pediatric temporal lobectomy.METHODSChildren who underwent temporal lobectomy between 2007 and 2015 and had at least 1 year of seizure outcomes data were identified. These were classified into lesional and MRI-negative groups based on whether an epilepsy-protocol brain MRI showed a lesion sufficiently specific to guide surgical decisions. These patients were also categorized into pure TLE and temporal plus epilepsies based on the neurophysiological localization of the seizure-onset zone. Seizure outcomes at each follow-up visit were incorporated into a repeated-measures generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with MRI status as a grouping variable. Clinical variables were incorporated into GLMM as covariates.RESULTSOne hundred nine patients (44 females) were included, aged 5 to 21 years, and were classified as lesional (73%), MRI negative (27%), pure TLE (56%), and temporal plus (44%). After a mean follow-up of 3.2 years (range 1.2–8.8 years), 66% of the patients were seizure free for ≥ 1 year at last follow-up. GLMM analysis revealed that lesional patients were more likely to be seizure free over the long term compared to MRI-negative patients for the overall cohort (OR 2.58, p < 0.0001) and for temporal plus epilepsies (OR 1.85, p = 0.0052). The effect of MRI lesion was not significant for pure TLE (OR 2.64, p = 0.0635). Concordance of ictal electroencephalography (OR 3.46, p < 0.0001), magnetoencephalography (OR 4.26, p < 0.0001), and later age of seizure onset (OR 1.05, p = 0.0091) were associated with a higher likelihood of seizure freedom. The most common histological findings included cortical dysplasia types 1B and 2A, HS (40% with dual pathology), and tuberous sclerosis.CONCLUSIONSA lesion on presurgical brain MRI is an important determinant of long-term seizure freedom after pediatric temporal lobectomy. Pediatric TLE is heterogeneous regarding etiologies and organization of seizure-onset zones with many patients qualifying for temporal plus nosology. The presence of an MRI lesion determined seizure outcomes in patients with temporal plus epilepsies. However, pure TLE had comparable surgical seizure outcomes for lesional and MRI-negative groups.


Author(s):  
Madeline B. Karsten ◽  
R. Michael Scott

Fusiform dilatation of the internal carotid artery (FDCA) is a known postoperative imaging finding after craniopharyngioma resection. FDCA has also been reported following surgery for other lesions in the suprasellar region in pediatric patients and is thought to be due to trauma to the internal carotid artery (ICA) wall during tumor dissection. Here, the authors report 2 cases of pediatric patients with FDCA. Case 1 is a patient in whom FDCA was visualized on follow-up scans after total resection of a craniopharyngioma; this patient’s subsequent scans and neurological status remained stable throughout a 20-year follow-up period. In case 2, FDCA appeared after resection and fenestration of a giant arachnoid cyst in a 3-year-old child, with 6 years of stable subsequent follow-up, an imaging finding that to the authors’ knowledge has not previously been reported following surgery for arachnoid cyst fenestration. These cases demonstrate that surgery involving dissection adjacent to the carotid artery wall in pediatric patients may lead to the development of FDCA. On very long-term follow-up, this imaging finding rarely changes and virtually all patients remain asymptomatic. Neurointerventional treatment of FDCA in the absence of symptoms or significant late enlargement of the arterial ectasia does not appear to be indicated.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Stefanie Bruschke ◽  
Uwe Baumann ◽  
Timo Stöver

Background: The cochlear implant (CI) is a standard procedure for the treatment of patients with severe to profound hearing loss. In the past, a standard healing period of 3–6 weeks occurred after CI surgery before the sound processor was initially activated. Advancements of surgical techniques and instruments allow an earlier initial activation of the processor within 14 days after surgery. Objective: Evaluation of the early CI device activation after CI surgery within 14 days, comparison to the first activation after 4–6 weeks, and assessment of the feasibility and safety of the early fitting over a 12 month observation period were the objectives of this study. Method: In a prospective study, 127 patients scheduled for CI surgery were divided into early fitting group (EF, n = 67) and control group (CG, n = 60). Individual questionnaires were used to evaluate medical and technical outcomes of the EF. Medical side effects, speech recognition, and follow-up effort were compared with the CG within the first year after CI surgery. Results: The early fitting was feasible in 97% of the EF patients. In the EF, the processor was activated 25 days earlier than in the CG. No major complications were observed in either group. At the follow-up appointments, side effects such as pain and balance problems occurred with comparable frequency in both groups. At initial fitting, the EF showed a significantly higher incidence of medical minor complications (p < 0.05). When developing speech recognition within the first year of CI use, no difference was observed. Furthermore, the follow-up effort within the first year after CI surgery was comparable in both groups. Conclusions: Early fitting of the sound processor is a feasible and safe procedure with comparable follow-up effort. Although more early minor complications were observed in the EF, there were no long-term wound healing problems caused by the early fitting. Regular inspection of the magnet strength is recommended as part of the CI follow-up since postoperative wound swelling must be expected. The early fitting procedure enabled a clear reduction in the waiting time between CI surgery and initial sound processor activation.


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