ObjectiveTuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multiorgan disorder and mostly associated with intractable epilepsy. Now several individual reports suggest that epilepsy in children with TSC might benefit from a ketogenic diet (KD). We prospectively studied the curative effect of 14 children with the KD in the treatment of TSC with epilepsy. MethodsBetween 2008 and 2015, we enrolled 14 children with TSC and epilepsy who received KD treatment in Shenzhen Children's Hospital and followed up for at least three months.Outcome was measured by the change of seizure frequency before and after the KD in the use of anticonvusant drugs, adverse effects, and change in cognitive function. Results14 children aged 8 months to 7 years were included. 7/14 (50%) children had a > 50% reduction in seizure frequency at 3 months on the diet, 5/14 (36%) children had a seizure free response. 12/14 (86%) children with refractory epilepsy, 6/12 (50%) children had a > 50% reduction in seizure frequency, 2 children had reduced medications, one child did not use any antiepileptic drugs during KD. 6 of 12 children with developmental delays had cognitive function improvement. ConclusionsKD is a generally effective and safe therapy for TSC children with epilepsy, especially for refractory epilepsy. KD could reduce antiepileptic drugs, and also improve children's cognitive function.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of vigabatrin (VGB) for seizure treatment in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). MethodsForty-one epilepsy patients with tuberous sclerosis complex, admitted from January 2015 to December 2015, were included in our study; they were treated with VGB with an initial dose of 20 mg/(kg·d), and a maintenance dose of 50~ 100 mg/(kg·d). Baseline seizure frequency were evaluated by the parents or the guardian, and investigated the efficacy, tolerability, adverse reactions and safety in 3 and 6 months after treatment, and compared with the baseline. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by seizure frequency as completely seizure free (100% seizure reduction), markedly effective (75%~99% seizure reduction), effective (50%~74% seizure reduction) and invalid ( < 50% seizure reduction). Adverse reactions were observed during treatment. ResultsThe completely seizure free rates after 3 and 6 months treatment were 51.2% and 57.9%; and the total effective rates (completely seizure free+markedly effective+effective) were 90.2% and 89.5%.During the 6 months, only one patients stopped VGB use because of the poor efficacy and the difficulties to buy this medicine. 14 patients appeared adverse reactions, including drowsiness, agitation, hyperactivity and myoclonus, which were transient and mild. No patients had clinically perceivable visual-field changes on clinical examination. ConclusionVGB is a effective treatment in TSC patients with epilepsy, and have a good security in short term.
ObjectiveTo probe the clinical features and the characteristics of radiography and electroencephalogram (EEG) of tuberous sclerosis complex(TSC) in children with epilepsy. MethodsThe clinical data of the TSC cases with epilepsy were collected from inpatients in Jiangxi Children's Hospital from Jan. 2013 to Oct. 2015. ResultsAmong the 26 cases, 21 cases(21/26, 80.77%) involved abnormalities of the skin. Of these patients, there were 10 cases with hypomelanotic macules, 7 cases with café au lait spots and 4 cases with facial angiofibromas. There were no significant difference among the different age groups. In addition, there were 8 cases (8/26, 30.77%) with spasm seizures, of whom 3 cases had partial seizure, 10 cases (10/26, 38.46%) with complex partial seizure, 5 cases(5/26, 19.23%) with secondary generalized seizure, 2 cases(2/26, 7.69%) with tonic-clonic seizure and one case with Lennox-Gastaut syndrom(1/26, 3.85%). The average onset age of the epileptic spasms group were younger than those of the other epilepsy groups (t=2.143, P=0.042). EEG monitoring demonstrated hypsarrhythmia in 7 cases (7/26, 26.92%) in the interictal EEG, focal epileptic discharges in 11 cases (11/26, 42.31%), multifocal discharges in 5 cases, the slow background activity in 2 cases and the normal EEG in one case. Cranial imaging demonstrated subependymal nodules (SEN) in 25 cases(25/26, 96.15%) was the most common. ConclusionThe clinical manifestations and seizure types of TSC in children, especially in infants and young children, were diverse and age-dependent. It was very important to improve understanding of the clinical features and related risks of TSC at various ages, which was helpful to diagnose TSC early.
ObjectiveTo reveal impairments in the perceptual networks in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) with epilepsy by functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI). MethodsThe fcMRI-based independent component analysis (ICA) was used to measure the resting state functional connectivity in nine TSC patients with epilepsy recruited from June 2010 to June 2012 and perceptual networks including the sensorimotor network (SMN), visual network (VN), and auditory network (AN) were investigated. The correlation between Z values in regions of interest (ROIs) and age of seizure onset or duration of epilepsy were analyzed. ResultsCompared with the controls, the TSC patients with epilepsy presented decreased functional connectivity in primary visual cortex within the VN networks and there were no increased connectivity. Increased connectivity in left middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus was found and decreased connectivity was detected in right inferior frontal gyrus within AN networks. Decreased connectivity was detected at the right inferior frontal gyrus and the increase in connectivity was found in right thalamus within SMN netwoks. No significant correlations were found between Z values in ROIs including the primary visual cortex within the VN, right thalamus and inferior frontal gyrus within SMN, left temporal lobe and right inferior frontal gyrus within AN and the duration of the disease or the age of onset. ConclusionFhere is altered (both increased and decreased) functional connectivity in the perceptual networks of TSC patients with epilepsy. The decreased functional connectivity may reflect the dysfunction of correlative perceptual networks in TSC patients, and the increased functional connectivity may indicate the compensatory mechanism or reorganization of cortical networks. Our fcMRI study may contribute to the understanding of neuropathophysiological mechanisms underlying perceptual impairments in TSC patients with epilepsy.
ObjectiveAnalyze the clinical features of epilepsy induced by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) to improve diagnosis and treatment level of this disease, and improve the prognosis. MethodsThe clinical data of 54 patients with epilepsy induced by TSC from May, 2012 to May, 2015 were analyzed together with the physical data, clinical presentations, EEG, imaging findings, treatment, prognosis and follow-up. Summarizing the clinical features of epilepsy induced by TSC. ResultsPatients with different epilepsy onset age, whether or not combined spasm, differences in intelligence status were statistically significant (P < 0.05); Patients with different gender, skin lesions, types of seizures, differences in intelligence status were no statistical significance (P > 0.05); Patients with different gender, epilepsy onset age, differences in patients with spasm were statistically significant (P < 0.05); Patients with different family history, skin lesions, types of seizures, differences in patients with spasm were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Patients with different intelligence status, difference of medication quantity was statistically significant (P < 0.05); Patients with different gender, onset age, family history, skin lesions, whether or not combined spasm, types of seizures, difference of medication quantity was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). ConclusionsEpilepsy is the most common neurological manifestations in TSC, mostly onset in early childhood. Seizure types are different from one to another. Patients can be combined with skin damage and mental retardation. Positive rate of EEG and head imaging examination are high, seizure control rate is low. Patients need long-term follow-up and timely adjustment of treatment. Intelligence status is related to epilepsy onset age, spasm. Patients with spasm are related to different gender, epilepsy onset age. Medication quantity is related to intelligence status.
ObjectiveTo study the therapeutic efficacy of stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG)-guided radiofrequency thermo-coagulation ablation (RF-TC) in the treatment of tuberous sclerosis (TSC) related epilepsy and to investigate the prediction of the therapeutic response to SEEG-guided RF-TC for the efficacy of the subsequent surgical treatment. MethodsWe retrospectively analyze TSC patients who underwent SEEG phase II evaluation from January 2014 to January 2023, and to select patients who underwent RF-TC after completion of SEEG monitoring, study the seizure control of patients after RF-TC, and classify patients into effective and ineffective groups for RF-TC treatment according to the results of RF-TC treatment, compare the surgical outcomes of patients in the two groups after SEEG, to explore the prediction of surgical outcome by RF-TC treatment. Results59 patients with TSC were enrolled, 53 patients (89.83%) were genetic detection, of which 28 (52.83%) were TSC1-positive, 21 (39.62%) were TSC2-positive, and 4 (7.54%) were negative, with 33 (67.34%) de novo mutations. The side of the SEEG electrode placement: left hemisphere in 9 cases, right hemisphere in 13 cases, and bilateral hemisphere in 37 cases. 37 patients (62.71%) were seizure-free at 3 months, 31 patients (52.54%) were seizure-free at 6 months, 29 patients (49.15%) were seizure-free at 12 months, and 20 patients (39.21%) were seizure-free at 24 months or more. 11 patients had a seizure reduction of more than 75% after RF-TC, and the remaining 11 patients showed no significant change after RF-TC. There were 48 patients (81.35%) in the effective group and 11 patients (18.65%) in the ineffective group. In the effective group, 22 patients were performed focal tuber resection laser ablation, 19 cases were seizure-free (86.36%). In the ineffective group, 10 patients were performed focal tuber resection laser ablation, only 5 cases were seizure-free (50%), which was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). ConclusionsOur data suggest that SEEG guided RF-TC is a safe and effective both diagnostic and therapeutic treatment for TSC-related epilepsy, and can assist in guiding the development of future resective surgical strategies and determining prognosis.
ObjectiveTuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multisystem disease, which often manifests as refractory epilepsy in the nervous system and multifocality in Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We summarized patients with TSC whose peripheral blood gene test was negative,and analyzed their medical history, EEG, MRI and postoperative conditions. MethodsWe summarized and analyzed 205 patients with TSC diagnosed clinically and pathologically and underwent surgery from April 2008 to February 2024. 11 patients with TSC whose peripheral blood gene test was negative and underwent surgery were screened out.All patients underwent gene examination, MRI and long-range video EEG monitoring. All patients underwent detailed preoperative evaluation and direct resection surgery, intracranial electrode thermocoagulation surgery or laser surgery. ResultsOf the 11 patients with peripheral blood gene test negative, 11 (100%) patients achieved Engel Ⅰ within 1 year after surgery, and 10 (91%) patients achieved Engel Ⅰwithin 2 years. The median age of onset of 11 patients was 6 months, and 8 patients (73%) had onset less than 1 year old. All patients had multiple nodules in the brain. Except for the brain, the changes of the other organs were polycystic kidney and skin changes in 2 patients, skin changes in 8 patients, and normal in 1 patients. ConclusionTSC patients with peripheral blood gene negative who have young onset age, frequent seizures, and multiple nodules on MRI often present with refractory epilepsy. However, the postoperative effect is good, and the postoperative EEG of most patients is normal.