A Proposal for Case Definitions and Outcome Measures in Studies of Infantile Spasms and West Syndrome: Consensus Statement of the West Delphi Group
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Epilepsia, 45(11):1416–1428, 2004 Blackwell Publishing, Inc. C 2004 International League Against Epilepsy A Proposal for Case Definitions and Outcome Measures in Studies of Infantile Spasms and West Syndrome: Consensus Statement of the West Delphi Group Andrew L. Lux and John P. Osborne Bath Unit for Research in Paediatrics, Royal United Hospital, Bath, and School for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom for The West Delphi Group Summary: Purpose: To reach a broad consensus on case def- Primary electroclinical outcome denotes cessation of spasms initions, outcomes, and outcome measures that will ease future with resolution of hypsarrhythmia. West syndrome should be a study design and facilitate comparison of data from different defined subset of the syndrome of infantile spasms. An infan- studies of infantile spasms and West syndrome. tile spasms single-spasm variant should be recognized. Ways Methods: Persons who had recently presented or published are suggested of handling subtle spasms in the context of clin- first-author original research in this field were invited to partici- ical studies. It proposes a standard for reporting modifying and pate in an e-mail Delphi process and to invite other investigators atypical features of hypsarrhythmia, a minimal set of baseline or clinicians who they thought might participate. characteristics and outcomes that should be reported in trials of Results: The process consisted of six rounds, anonymous ex- infantile spasms, and suggests a standard definition of relapse. cept to the facilitator. In total, responses were received from 46 Consensus was not reached on a definition of hypsarrhythmia. participants. The final statement was approved by 31 participants Conclusions: We reached a clear consensus on many aspects from 15 countries. It concluded that the primary clinical out- of study design for the investigation of infantile spasms, although come, cessation of spasms, should denote absence of witnessed incomplete consensus was found on how to define EEG criteria. spasms from within 14 days of commencement of treatment, Key Words: Epilepsy—Infantile spasms—West syndrome— and for ≥28 consecutive days from the last witnessed spasm. Consensus—Clinical trials. Infantile spasms (West syndrome) is a form of epilepsy that is associated with many underlying conditions and Accepted June 20, 2004. often a poor developmental outcome. Its main clinical Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. J.P. Osborne at features are spasms that usually occur in clusters and Bath Unit for Research in Paediatrics, Royal United Hospital, Combe onset that almost always occurs during the first 2 years Park, Bath, BA1 3NG, U.K. E-mail: [email protected] of life. It is characteristically associated with an EEG The West Delphi Group pattern called hypsarrhythmia, although hypsarrhythmia Andrew L. Lux and John P. Osborne, Bath Unit for Research in Paediatrics, Bath, England, and School for Health, University of may not be present throughout the course of the spasms Bath, Bath, U.K.; Giuliano Avanzini and Tiziana Granata, Istituto and is not regarded as essential for the diagnosis of in- Neurologico “C. Besta,” Milan, Italy; Tallie Z. Baram, University of fantile spasms. Hypsarrhythmia is an interictal pattern California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, U.S.A.; Roberto Caraballo, Hospital Nacional de Pediatria “Juan P. Garrahan,” Buenos Aires, Ar- that usually changes during clinical attacks to lower- gentina; Kevin Farrell, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, amplitude slow waves or to a sudden flattening that is British Columbia, Canada; Ellie Hancock, Great Ormond Street Hospi- tal, London, U.K.; Masatoshi Ito, Shiga Medical Center for Children, Moriyama, Japan; Jun Kohyama, Tokyo Medical and Dental Univer- William Soler Children’s Hospital, Havana, Cuba; Dietz Rating, sity, Tokyo, Japan; Roshan Koul, Sultan Qaboosh Hospital, Alkhad, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Bernhard Schmitt, Oman; Wei-Ling Lee, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore; University Children’s Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland; Malinee A. Jianxiang Liao, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Thambyayah, Hospital Selayang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Federico Marissa B. Lukban and Aida R. Mendoza-Salonga, University of Vigevano, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambinu Gesu, Rome, Italy; Anannit the Philippines College of Medicine, Manila, Philippines; Anthony Visudtibhan, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; William White- G. Marson, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, U.K.; Brian Neville, house, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K.; Virginia Wong, Institute of Child Health, London, U.K.; Harry O. Nomayo, Klinikum The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Hideo Ya- Weiden Kinderklinik, Weiden, Germany; Hirokazu Oguni. Tokyo manouchi Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan; Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan; Shunsuke Ohtahara, Chainllie Young, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama, Japan; Hian-Tat Ong, Mo, U.S.A.; and Zhongshou Zhou, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, National University Hospital, Singapore; Desiderio Pozo Lauzan, Beijing, China. 1416 WEST DELPHI GROUP CONSENSUS STATEMENT 1417 known as an electrodecremental period. Various EEG fea- plored some controversial areas. Those agreeing to par- tures have traditionally been labeled modified or atypical ticipate were asked to formulate further questions as a hypsarrhythmia (1–4). unique contribution to the study. We made provision for Several International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) participants to enter after the first round because not all in- commissions and workshops have proposed definitions terested persons would necessarily have been contacted in and classifications of infantile spasms, and some elements time to respond to Round 1. We suggested that, to be con- of these are not mutually consistent. For example, propos- sidered members of the West Delphi Group, participants als from the ILAE Commissions on Classification and would need to make contributions to other rounds and to Terminology in 1985 and 1989 suggested that cases of agree the final draft of the proposal. We also suggested infantile spasms should always have onset of symptoms that minority and dissenting views would be clearly rep- before age 12 months, whereas a 1991 workshop of the resented in the final draft, and that we would not censor ILAE Commission on Pediatric Epilepsy suggested that views. infantile spasms “transcends age groups and may occur The content and form of subsequent rounds was deter- in infancy or childhood” (5–7). Variation in age at onset mined in part by the suggestions of participants. A bal- as a defining criterion alters epidemiologic characteristics ance was reached between eliciting quantitative informa- such as median age at onset of illness and affects estimates tion about the strength of agreements and eliciting qualita- of age-dependent outcomes. In addition to differences in tive and creative views on how we might approach prob- definitions and criteria proposed by the ILAE, many other lems of definition, classification, and measurement. We variations in definition, classification, and outcome crite- tried to maintain a focus on aspects of definition and out- ria are found in published studies. come and to develop proposals that would clarify and An initial proposal for standardized case definitions, simplify study design without introducing unnecessary outcomes, and outcome measures in infantile spasms constraints. The first round of West Delphi was sent in was presented at the Symposium on West Syndrome and January 2001, and the final round was sent in November other Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathies, Tokyo, Febru- 2003. ary 2001 (8). Many participants were enthusiastic about this proposal, although some thought that, in particular, it RESULTS would be difficult to achieve a consensus on EEG charac- teristics. In Round 1, 31 responses were received from partici- pants in 14 countries, and overall, 42 respondents from 16 countries. In addition, three potential participants stated a METHODS firm intention to participate but made no substantial con- West Delphi followed the format of a Delphi process, tribution to the process. One response was initially on a method for eliciting expert consensus developed by the behalf of members of the Konigsteiner¨ Kreis, a group of RAND Corporation in the early 1950s (9). A Delphi pro- pediatric neurologists that had already started to address cess essentially involves isolated experts giving their judg- the issue of case definitions and outcome measures in in- ments or opinions to a moderator or facilitator, who makes fantile spasms. These participants continued to confer and those opinions anonymous and redistributes them to the send a single response to subsequent rounds. The 10 initial full group of experts (10). Because the experts are able questions covered the following areas: clinical features, to relate their opinions to that of the larger group, this restrictions for age at onset, assessing developmental de- facilitates an iterative process by which they can finally lay, the usefulness of etiologic subgroups, the likelihood reach broad agreement. This method has been used before of reaching consensus on a definition of hypsarrhythmia, in the fields of neurology, pediatrics, and psychiatry (11– using aggregated data, defining developmental delay, and 14). In West Delphi, responses were collated by A.L.L., the