Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause seizures and the development of epilepsy. The incidence of seizures varies from 21% in patients with severe brain injuries to 50% in patients with war-related penetrating TBI. In the acute and sub-acute periods following injury, seizures can lead to increased intracranial pressure and cerebral edema, further complicating TBI management. Anticonvulsants can be used for seizure prophylaxis according to the current Parameters of Practice and Guidelines in a subset of severe TBI patients, and for a limited time window. Phenytoin is the most widely prescribed anticonvulsant in these patients. Intravenous levetiracetam, made available in 2006, is now being considered as a viable option in acute care settings if phenytoin is unavailable or not feasible due to side-effects. We discuss current data regarding the role of intravenous levetiracetam in seizure prophylaxis of severe TBI patients and the need for future studies.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2013.00170 | DOI Listing |
Neurol Sci
December 2024
Neurophysiopathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Introduction: Biallelic variants in QARS1, a house-keeping gene involved in protein synthesis, cause a rare encephalopathy classically characterized by severe developmental delay, drug-resistant neonatal-onset epilepsy, microcephaly, and brain atrophy. We aim to raise awareness on mild QARS1-related phenotypes describing a 6-year-old patient.
Case Description: Epilepsy onset occurred at 3.
Neurotherapeutics
December 2024
Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Brain Institute University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Box 801330, Charlottesville, VA 22908-1330, USA. Electronic address:
Generalized Convulsive status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological emergency because prolonged convulsions can cause respiratory compromise and neuronal injury. Compromised GABA-mediated inhibition is a defining feature of SE, and many current therapies are benzodiazepines, which are allosteric modulators of GABA-A receptors. Many patients with medically refractory epilepsy are at risk for SE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain Dev
December 2024
Working Group for the Revision of Treatment Guidelines for Pediatric Status Epilepticus/Convulsive Status Epilepticus, Japanese Society of Child Neurology, Tokyo, Japan; Committee for Integration of Guidelines, Japanese Society of Child Neurology, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Child Neurology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
BMC Neurol
November 2024
Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a severe opportunistic brain disease caused by lytic JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) replication in oligodendrocytes. Although JCPyV infection is common in the general population, PML almost exclusively occurs in patients immunocompromised due to untreated HIV/AIDS, haematological malignancies, primary immunodeficiencies, solid organ transplantation, or immunomodulatory treatment of autoimmune diseases. There is no effective antiviral treatment, and recovery depends on immune reconstitution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Drug Saf
November 2024
Department of Pharmacology, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India.
Background: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is an infrequent yet severe mucocutaneous reaction that involves less than 10% of the Body Surface Area (BSA). It is predominantly induced by certain medications, including anticonvulsants (e.g.
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