Cannabis for the treatment of paediatric epilepsy? An update for Canadian paediatricians

Huntsman, Richard J.; Tang-Wai, Richard; Acton, Bryan; Alcorn, Jane; Lyon, Andrew W.; Mousseau, Darrell D.; Seifert, B; Laprairie, Robert B.; Prosser-Loose, Erin J.; Hanŭs, L

doi:10.1093/pch/pxy036

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…In an attempt to control her drugresistant seizures, Charlotte's parents initiated a regimen of medical cannabis, reducing her seizures by more than 90 % [19]. Charlotte's case received considerable media attention and has led, at least in part, to increased interest among parents in the use of cannabis as an alternative or complementary treatment for epilepsy [3] and to increased requests to physicians for cannabis authorization [20]. Participants in our study also identified the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada in 2018 as a potential driver of additional interest in medical cannabis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurologists’ perspectives on medical cannabis for pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy in Canada: A qualitative interview study

Elliott

DeJean²,

Potter

et al. 2020

Seizure

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To understand the experiences with and perspectives of neurologists about the use of medical cannabis in the treatment of pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy. Methods: In this qualitative study, we interviewed neurologists who provide care to children with drug-resistant epilepsy in Canada. Through semi-structured telephone interviews, we sought participants' views about and experiences with medical cannabis for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children. Here we present a thematic summary of the interviews. Results: The 12 interviewed neurologists generally perceived medical cannabis as a viable treatment option for children with drug-resistant epilepsy; however, participants identified important gaps in the evidence and implications for their practices. Six themes were generated from the content of the interviews: learning about medical cannabis; perceptions about medical cannabis; discussing medical cannabis with parents; experiences with medical cannabis authorization; barriers to authorizing medical cannabis; and the impact of medical cannabis on clinical care. Of note, while some neurologists took on all aspects of the children's care, including medical cannabis, others referred interested families to non-neurology health care professionals. Conclusion:Our findings highlight the diverse opinions and experiences of neurologists in Canada with medical cannabis for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children, including with the authorization process and caring for children using medical cannabis. Additional education about medical cannabis may be warranted, in order to better prepare neurologists to have informed and open conversations with parents about this treatment option and to provide care for children using medical cannabis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurologists’ perspectives on medical cannabis for pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy in Canada: A qualitative interview study

Elliott

DeJean²,

Potter

et al. 2020

Seizure

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“…Children with more serious illness [ 8 ] have a greater chance of cerebral edema and increased intracranial pressure. According to the presence or absence of strong skeletal muscle contraction during the onset, it is classified into convulsive SE (CSE) and nonconvulsive SE (NCSE) [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electroencephalogram Image under Complex Domain Analysis Algorithm to Analyze Neurological Status Epilepticus and Poor Prognostic Factors of Children

Gao

Nishioka

Liu

et al. 2021

Journal of Healthcare Engineering

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This study was to adopt the electroencephalogram (EEG) image to analyze the neurological status epilepticus (SE) and adverse prognostic factors of children using the complex domain analysis algorithm, aiming at providing a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of children with SE. 24-hour EEG was adopted to diagnose 197 children with SE. The patients were divided into an experimental group (100 cases) and a control group (97 cases) using a random number table method. The EEGs of children in the experimental group were analyzed using the compound domain analysis algorithm, and those in the control group were diagnosed by a professional doctor. The indicators of children in two groups were compared to analyze the effect of the compound domain analysis algorithm in diagnosing diseases through EEG. The prognostic scores of 197 children were scored one month after they were diagnosed, treated, and discharged, and the adverse prognostic factors were analyzed. As a result, EEG can accurately and effectively analyze the brain diseases in children. The sensitivity and specificity of the complex domain analysis algorithm for the detection of epilepsy EEG were much higher than those of the EEG automatic detection algorithm based on time-domain waveform similarity and the EEG automatic detection algorithm based on convolutional neural network (CNN), and the average running time was opposite, showing obvious difference ( P < 0.05 ).The average accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of children in the experimental group were 96.11%, 97.10%, and 95.19%, respectively; and those in the control group were 88.83%, 90.14%, and 87.82%, respectively, so there was an obvious difference in accuracy between two groups ( P < 0.05 ). There were 57 cases with good prognosis and 140 cases with poor prognosis; there were 70 males with good prognosis and 19 poor prognoses and 69 women with good prognosis and 19 poor prognoses. Among 121 patients with infections, 84 cases had good prognosis and 37 cases had poor prognosis; 39 cases of irregular medication had good prognosis in 31 cases and a poor prognosis in 8 cases; and 37 cases had no obvious cause, including 25 cases with good prognosis and 12 cases with poor prognosis. In short, the EEG diagnosis and treatment effect of the compound domain analysis algorithm were better than those of professional doctors; the gender of the patient had no effect on the poor prognosis, and the pathogenic factors had an impact on the poor prognosis of the patient.

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“…Canadian children can access medical cannabis (MC) by their parents or caregivers obtaining an authorization from a licensed health care provider (HCP)—either a physician or nurse practitioner. Specific requirements for HCPs to authorize MC are determined by their respective provincial or territorial regulatory bodies ( 1 ). Despite this, many parents face significant barriers to accessing MC for their children.…”

Section: Problem Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Removing barriers to accessing medical cannabis for paediatric patients

Huntsman

Elliott²,

Lewis

et al. 2023

Paediatrics &Amp; Child Health

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Medical cannabis (MC) may offer therapeutic benefits for children with complex neurological conditions and chronic diseases. In Canada, parents, and caregivers frequently report encountering barriers when accessing MC for their children. These include negative preconceived notions about risks and benefits, challenges connecting with a knowledgeable healthcare provider (HCP), the high cost of MC products, and navigating MC product shortages. In this manuscript, we explore several of these barriers and provide recommendations to decision-makers to enable a family-centered and evidence-based approach to MC medicine and research for children.

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Cannabis for the treatment of paediatric epilepsy? An update for Canadian paediatricians

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Neurologists’ perspectives on medical cannabis for pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy in Canada: A qualitative interview study

Neurologists’ perspectives on medical cannabis for pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy in Canada: A qualitative interview study

Electroencephalogram Image under Complex Domain Analysis Algorithm to Analyze Neurological Status Epilepticus and Poor Prognostic Factors of Children

Removing barriers to accessing medical cannabis for paediatric patients

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