The authors describe diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) changes in the hippocampus within 48 hours of acute symptomatic seizures or status epilepticus in 12 patients. DWI showed increased signal and a decreased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in all patients, with corresponding lactate detected on MRS in six patients and EEG seizure activity in nine patients. On follow-up, the atrophic hippocampus had an increased ADC in six patients. DWI and MRS may predict development of hippocampal sclerosis.

Pretreatment with amifostine showed a trend toward reducing the severity of esophagitis associated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, but it did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant protective effect on hematologic or neurologic toxicities induced by paclitaxel and carboplatin.

Summary This article critiques the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) 2015‐2017 classifications of epilepsy, epileptic seizures, and status epilepticus. It points out the following shortcomings of the ILAE classifications: (1) they mix semiological terms with epileptogenic zone terminology; (2) simple and widely accepted terminology has been replaced by complex terminology containing less information; (3) seizure evolution cannot be described in any detail; (4) in the four‐level epilepsy classification, level two (epilepsy category) overlaps almost 100% with diagnostic level one (seizure type); and (5) the design of different classifications with distinct frameworks for newborns, adults, and patients in status epilepticus is confusing. The authors stress the importance of validating the new ILAE classifications and feel that the decision of Epilepsia to accept only manuscripts that use the ILAE classifications is premature and regrettable.

Results of this open-label trial found the 40-mg dose of eletriptan to have a high degree of efficacy and tolerability among patients who responded poorly to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

To study the possible genetic associations with adverse drug reactions (ADR), the Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has piloted a program to collect DNA and phenotype data of ADR cases as part of its pharmacovigilance program. Between 2009 and 2012, HSA screened 158 cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). To assess the association between HLA-B*1502 and carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced SJS/TEN, 13 cases and 26 drug-tolerant controls were analyzed. All 13 CBZ-SJS/TEN cases and 3/26 controls were HLA-B*1502 positive (odds ratio 181, 95% confidence interval: 8.7-3785, P=6.9 × 10(-8)). Discussions of the finding with the Ministry of Health and an expert panel led to the decision to make HLA-B*1502 testing the standard of care prior to first use of CBZ in Asians and to subsidize the genotyping test at public hospitals. This program illustrates the role of a regulatory authority in advancing the use of pharmacogenetics for drug safety.

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SUMMARYThe Asia-Oceanian region is the most populous region in the world. Although there has been substantial economic development and improvement in health services in recent years, epilepsy remains generally an underrecognized and understudied condition. To help promote research in the region, the Commission on Asian and Oceanian Affairs (CAOA) of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) appointed the Research Task Force (RTF) to facilitate the development of research priorities for the region.Research that focuses on issues that are unique or of particular importance in the AsiaOceanian region is encouraged, and that captures the impact of the dynamic socioeconomic changes taking place in the region is emphasized. Based on these considerations, we propose research "dimensions" as priorities within the Asia-Oceanian region. These are studies (1) that would lead to fuller appreciation of the health burden of epilepsy, particularly the treatment gap; (2) that would lead to better understanding of the causes of epilepsy; (3) that would alleviate the psychosocial consequences of epilepsy; (4) that would develop better therapies and improved therapeutic outcomes; and (5) that would improve the research infrastructure.