EARLY HORMONAL THERAPY IN DEE-SWAS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING COGNITIVE AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES
Keywords:
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), epilepsy, continuous spike-wave during sleep (CSWS), DEE-SWAS, methylprednisoloneAbstract
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with spike-wave activation in sleep (DEE-SWAS) is a severe childhood disorder characterized by frequent epileptic seizures, cognitive decline, and behavioral regression. Despite the wide range of available antiseizure medications, the therapeutic response in this patient population often remains insufficient. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the use of hormonal therapy (methylprednisolone), which can not only reduce epileptiform activity but also exert a modulatory effect on neuroinflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of early hormonal therapy in patients with DEE-SWAS. Clinical and neurophysiological outcomes were analyzed in patients who received hormonal treatment at the early stages of the disease, using quantitative analysis of the spike-wave index (SWI%) and neuropsychological assessment (Stanford-Binet, 5th edition). The results demonstrated that early initiation of hormonal therapy was associated with a significant reduction in SWI%, decreased seizure frequency, as well as improvements in cognitive and adaptive functioning compared to the group with later treatment initiation. Hormonal therapy for DEE-SWAS may therefore be considered a promising strategy to improve the long-term prognosis of the disease and enhance patients’ quality of life.
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