Early epilepsy in children with Zika-related microcephaly in a cohort in Recife, Brazil: Characteristics, electroencephalographic findings, and treatment response.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of epilepsy in children with Zika-related microcephaly in the first 24 months of life; to characterize the associated clinical and electrographic findings; and to summarize the treatment responses. METHODS: We followed a cohort of children, born during the 2015-2016 Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Brazil, with congenital microcephaly and evidence of congenital ZIKV infection on neuroimaging and/or laboratory testing. Neurological assessments were performed at ≤3, 6, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 months of life. Serial electroencephalograms were performed over the first 24 months. RESULTS: We evaluated 91 children, of whom 48 were female. In this study sample, the cumulative incidence of epilepsy was 71.4% in the first 24 months, and the main type of seizure was infantile spasms (83.1%). The highest incidence of seizures occurred between 3 and 9 months of age, and the risk remained high until 15 months of age. The incidence of infantile spasms peaked between 4 and 7 months and was followed by an increased incidence of focal epilepsy cases after 12 months of age. Neuroimaging results were available for all children, and 100% were abnormal. Cortical abnormalities were identified in 78.4% of the 74 children evaluated by computed tomography and 100% of the 53 children evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. Overall, only 46.1% of the 65 children with epilepsy responded to treatment. The most commonly used medication was sodium valproate with or without benzodiazepines, levetiracetam, phenobarbital, and vigabatrin. SIGNIFICANCE: Zika-related microcephaly was associated with high risk of early epilepsy. Seizures typically began after the third month of life, usually as infantile spasms, with atypical electroencephalographic abnormalities. The seizure control rate was low. The onset of seizures in the second year was less frequent and, when it occurred, presented as focal epilepsy

Computed tomography scan of the head in patients with migraine or tension-type headache Tomografia computadorizada do crânio em pacientes com migrânea ou cefaléia tensional

A retrospective study was performed in order to evaluate the frequency of abnormalities found by computed tomography (CT) scan of the head in 78 patients with migraine or tension-type headache. In the present study CT scan was normal in 61.5% of the patients with migraine or tension-type headache. A number of abnormalities were encountered in more than one third of the patients studied, including inflammatory sinus disease (19.2%), cysticercosis (3.9%), unruptuted cerebral aneurysm (2.6%), basilar impression (2.6%), intracranial lipoma (2.6%), arachnoid cyst (2.6%), empty sella (2.6%), intracranial neoplasm (2.6%), and others (2.6%). None of these lesions were symptomatic or responsible by the headache picture, therefore, considered incidental findings. In conclusion, the fortuitous encounter of some abnormalities on CT scan of the head is often higher than what we could predict in patients suffering migraine or tension-type headache. We briefly discuss clinical, epidemiologic, and practical management of some of the abnormalities detected by CT scan as well as the indication to request a neuroimaging investigation.<br>Um estudo retrospectivo foi realizado visando avaliar a frequência de anormalidades encontradas durante a realização de estudo por tomografia computadorizada (TC) em 78 pacientes com migrânea ou cefaléia do tipo tensional. A TC foi normal em 61,5% dos pacientes examinados. Em um terço dos pacientes estudados foram detectadas anormalidades, como doença inflamatória dos seios paranasais (19,2%), cisticercose (3,9%), aneurisma cerebral não-roto (2,6%), impressão basilar (2,6%), lipoma intracraniano (2,6%), cisto aracnoideo (2,6%), sela vazia (2,6%), neoplasia intracraniana (2,6%) e outras afecções (2,6%). Nenhuma destas lesões era sintomática (achado incidental). Concluindo, o encontro fortuito de algumas anormalidades na TC é frequentemente mais elevado do que se prediz em pacientes com cefaléia primária. Nós discutimos brevemente alguns aspectos clínicos, epidemiológicos e da conduta terapêutica-cirúrgica sobre algumas das anomalias diagnosticadas pela TC. Também levantamos, ou questionamos, aspectos éticos que determinam o limite entre o direito do paciente e o direito do médico em afirmar que um indivíduo com dor de cabeça não é portador de lesão intracraniana, baseado na história clínica e no exame físico do paciente