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Infantile Spasms—Have We Made Progress?

  • Epilepsy (CW Bazil, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

The care of children with infantile spasms is full of areas of ambiguity, despite practice parameters and randomized trials. This review is to update the current care of children with infantile spasms.

Recent Findings

Several recent studies have generated new data to guide management including a randomized trial supporting combination therapy of hormone treatment and vigabatrin as an initial treatment for infantile spasms. Studies have suggested that we are not consistent in our recognition of hypsarrhythmia, while additional studies suggest that the presence or absence of this pattern may not have any predictive value. Additionally, the use of appropriate medications as well as an early diagnosis has the most impact on short-term outcomes.

Summary

Children with infantile spasms benefit most from early diagnosis and early treatment with appropriate standard medications such as hormonal therapy (ACTH or prednisolone) or vigabatrin.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 2-147, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Sarah Aminoff Kelley

  2. University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Hospital Colorado, 13123 E 16th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Kelly G. Knupp

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  1. Sarah Aminoff Kelley
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Correspondence to Kelly G. Knupp.

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Conflict of Interest

Sarah Aminoff Kelley declares no conflict of interest.

Kelly G. Knupp has received grants from the Colorado Department of Health, PERF, and West Pharmaceuticals, as well as research funding from Zogenix and Greenwich Pharmaceuticals (DSMB).

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All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Epilepsy

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Kelley, S.A., Knupp, K.G. Infantile Spasms—Have We Made Progress?. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 18, 27 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-018-0832-8

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