TABLE 1.
Characteristics by First Treatment (Standard Only)
| Characteristic | Variable | N (%)/Median (Q1-Q3) | P | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||||
| Vigabatrin (N = 52) | ACTH (N = 32) | Prednisolone (N = 30) | All (N = 114) | |||
|
| ||||||
| Sex | Female | 17 (32.7) | 13 (40.6) | 10 (33.3) | 40(35.1) | 0.74 |
| Male | 35 (67.3) | 19 (59.4) | 20 (66.7) | 74 (64.9) | ||
| Race | White | 40 (76.9) | 23 (71.9) | 17 (56.7) | 80 (70.2) | 0.20 |
| Black | 11 (21.2) | 7 (21.9) | 9 (30) | 27 (23.7) | ||
| Other | 1 (1.9) | 2 (6.3) | 4 (13.3) | 7(6.1) | ||
| Abnormal development | No | 6(11.5) | 12 (37.5) | 9 (30) | 27 (23.7) | 0.02 |
| Yes | 46 (88.5) | 20 (62.5) | 21 (70) | 87 (76.3) | ||
| Gestational age (weeks) | 38 (35.5–40) | 39 (37–40) | 38.5 (34–40) | 38 (36–40) | 0.69 | |
| Corrected age of spasm onset (months) | 6.4 (5.2–9.9) | 5.8 (5–7.5) | 6.1 (5–8.2) | 6.3 (5–8.7) | 0.57 | |
| Spasm onset to first treatment (days) | 14 (5–23) | 10 (4–32) | 17 (9–29) | 14 (5–28) | 0.46 | |
| Spasm onset to diagnosis (days) | 12 (2–22) | 7(3–31) | 15.5 (8–29) | 12 (3.5–25) | 0.23 | |
| Diagnosis to first treatment (days) | 1 (1–2.5) | 1 (1–1.5) | 1 (0–1) | 1 (0–2) | 0.06 | |
| Prior seizures | No | 28 (53.9) | 25 (78.1) | 22 (73.3) | 75 (65.8) | 0.045 |
| Yes | 24 (46.2) | 7 (21.9) | 8 (26.7) | 39 (34.2) | ||
| Etiology | Genetic/metabolic | 9(17.3) | 4(12.5) | 4 (13.3) | 17 (14.9) | 0.04* |
| Prior brain injury | 24 (46.2) | 13 (40.6) | 10 (33.3) | 47 (41.2) | ||
| MCD/other structural† | 15 (28.9) | 3 (9.4) | 6 (20) | 24(21.1) | ||
| Unknown abnormal | 1 (1.9) | 5 (15.6) | 3(10) | 9 (7.9) | ||
| Unknown normal | 3 (5.8) | 7 (21.9) | 7 (23.3) | 17 (14.9) | ||
| Follow-up after first treatment (months) | 19(7–41) | 29.5 (16–59) | 18.5 (7–40) | 21 (9–49) | 0.06 | |
Abbreviations:
ACTH = Adrenocorticotropic hormone
MCD = Malformation of cortical development
Values are N (column %) or median (interquartile range).
Missing values: Age of spasm onset (N = 18), spasm onset to first treatment (N = 18) and spasm onset to diagnosis (N = 18).
Kruskal-Wallis tests used for continuous variables and chi-square tests used for categorical variables.
*
Fisher’s exact tests used instead of chi-square tests.
†
Three of 114 patients had tuberous sclerosis complex (categorized as other structural etiology); all three received vigabatrin as the first treatment.