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Numerous factors including social determinants of health, knowledge gaps, economic challenges, workforce limitations, and health system deficiencies are associated with significant disparities in access to health care services and health outcomes for people with epilepsy (PWE). The American Epilepsy Society (AES) and the International League Against Epilepsy—North America (ILAE-NA) established a joint task force to explore and develop recommendations to address health care disparities experienced by PWE. The task force gathered foundational knowledge through meetings, public and patient organization comments and discussions to develop consensus recommendations. We enumerate the recommendations and discuss the rationale behind them to reduce disparities in epilepsy care through comprehensive research, inclusive clinical practices, robust advocacy, and targeted educational initiatives. While our recommendations are focused on the United States, we acknowledge that similar barriers and limitations exist for PWE globally and that these also need to be addressed within their local domains and with attention to unique factors therewithin.

Circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have mandated a change to standard management of infantile spasms. On April 6, 2020, the Child Neurology Society issued an online statement of immediate recommendations to streamline diagnosis and treatment of infantile spasms with utilization of telemedicine, outpatient studies, and selection of first-line oral therapies as initial treatment. The rationale for the recommendations and specific guidance including follow-up assessment are provided in this manuscript. These recommendations are indicated as enduring if intended to outlast the pandemic, and limited if intended only for the pandemic health care crisis but may be applicable to future disruptions of health care delivery.

SummaryObjectiveThe multicenter National Infantile Spasms Consortium prospective cohort was used to compare outcomes and phenotypic features of patients with infantile spasms with and without hypsarrhythmia.MethodsPatients aged 2 months to 2 years were enrolled prospectively with new‐onset infantile spasms. Treatment choice and categorization of hypsarrhythmia were determined clinically at each site. Response to therapy was defined as resolution of clinical spasms (and hypsarrhythmia if present) without relapse 3 months after initiation.ResultsEighty‐two percent of patients had hypsarrhythmia, but this was not associated with gender, mean age, preexisting developmental delay or epilepsy, etiology, or response to first‐line therapy. Infants with hypsarrhythmia were more likely to receive standard treatment (adrenocorticotropic hormone, prednisolone, or vigabatrin [odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–4.7] and preexisting epilepsy reduced the likelihood of standard treatment (OR3.2, 95%CI1.9–5.4). Hypsarrhythmia was not a determinant of response to treatment. A logistic regression model demonstrated that later age of onset (OR1.09 per month, 95%CI1.03–1.15) and absence of preexisting epilepsy (OR1.7, 95%CI1.06–2.81) had a small impact on the likelihood of responding to the first‐line treatment. However, receiving standard first‐line treatment increased the likelihood of responding dramatically: vigabatrin (OR5.2 ,95%CI2–13.7), prednisolone (OR8, 95%CI3.1–20.6), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH;OR10.2, 95%CI4.1–25.8) .SignificanceFirst‐line treatment with standard therapy was by far the most important variable in determining likelihood of response to treatment of infantile spasms with or without hypsarrhythmia.

Summary Objective Infantile spasms ( IS ) represent a severe epileptic encephalopathy presenting in the first 2 years of life. Recommended first‐line therapies (hormonal therapy or vigabatrin) often fail. We evaluated response to second treatment for IS in children in whom the initial therapy failed to produce both clinical remission and electrographic resolution of hypsarhythmia and whether time to treatment was related to outcome. Methods The National Infantile Spasms Consortium established a multicenter, prospective database enrolling infants with new diagnosis of IS. Children were considered nonresponders to first treatment if there was no clinical remission or persistence of hypsarhythmia. Treatment was evaluated as hormonal therapy (adrenocorticotropic hormone [ ACTH ] or oral corticosteroids), vigabatrin, or “other.” Standard treatments (hormonal and vigabatrin) were compared to all other nonstandard treatments. We compared response rates using chi‐square tests and multivariable logistic regression models. Results One hundred eighteen infants were included from 19 centers. Overall response rate to a second treatment was 37% (n = 44). Children who received standard medications with differing mechanisms for first and second treatment had higher response rates than other sequences (27/49 [55%] vs. 17/69 [25%], p < 0.001). Children receiving first treatment within 4 weeks of IS onset had a higher response rate to second treatment than those initially treated later (36/82 [44%] vs. 8/34 [24%], p = 0.040). Significance Greater than one third of children with IS will respond to a second medication. Choosing a standard medication ( ACTH , oral corticosteroids, or vigabatrin) that has a different mechanism of action appears to be more effective. Rapid initial treatment increases the likelihood of response to the second treatment.

ObjectiveInfantile spasms are seizures associated with a severe epileptic encephalopathy presenting in the first 2 years of life, and optimal treatment continues to be debated. This study evaluates early and sustained response to initial treatments and addresses both clinical remission and electrographic resolution of hypsarrhythmia. Secondarily, it assesses whether response to treatment differs by etiology or developmental status.MethodsThe National Infantile Spasms Consortium established a multicenter, prospective database enrolling infants with new diagnosis of infantile spasms. Children were considered responders if there was clinical remission and resolution of hypsarrhythmia that was sustained at 3 months after first treatment initiation. Standard treatments of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), oral corticosteroids, and vigabatrin were considered individually, and all other nonstandard therapies were analyzed collectively. Developmental status and etiology were assessed. We compared response rates by treatment group using chi‐square tests and multivariate logistic regression models.ResultsTwo hundred thirty infants were enrolled from 22 centers. Overall, 46% of children receiving standard therapy responded, compared to only 9% who responded to nonstandard therapy (p < 0.001). Fifty‐five percent of infants receiving ACTH as initial treatment responded, compared to 39% for oral corticosteroids, 36% for vigabatrin, and 9% for other (p < 0.001). Neither etiology nor development significantly modified the response pattern by treatment group.InterpretationResponse rate varies by treatment choice. Standard therapies should be considered as initial treatment for infantile spasms, including those with impaired development or known structural or genetic/metabolic etiology. ACTH appeared to be more effective than other standard therapies. ANN NEUROL 2016;79:475–484