Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Therapy for Epileptic Children

Last updated: January 25, 2024
Sponsor: Sohag University
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

2/3

Condition

Epilepsy

Seizure Disorders

Treatment

Triple therapy for H. pylori infection

Clinical Study ID

NCT05297695
soh-med-22-03-13
  • Ages 4-18
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with several health problems. The role of H. pylori infection in epilepsy has been investigated in a few studies. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous studies on the effect of treating H. pylori infection on seizure frequency among children with drug-resistant idiopathic generalized epilepsy. This study aims to evaluate the effect of treating H. pylori infection on seizure frequency among children with drug-resistant idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 4 and 18 years.
  • Idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE), including childhood absence epilepsy,juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, or IGE with generalizedtonic-clonic seizures only (IGE-TCS).
  • Drug-resistant epilepsy, defined as failure of adequate trials of two tolerated andappropriately chosen and used anti-epileptic drugs schedules (whether as monotherapiesor in combination) to achieve sustained seizure freedom
  • Positive H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test (at initial screening).

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Failure to obtain informed consent.
  • Presence of a medical indication for treating H. pylori infection, including gastricor duodenal ulcer, chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and refractory irondeficiency anemia.
  • Known allergy or contraindications to any of the study drugs.
  • Treatment with antibiotics and/or proton pump inhibitors in the last 2 months.

Study Design

Total Participants: 126
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Triple therapy for H. pylori infection
Phase: 2/3
Study Start date:
April 20, 2022
Estimated Completion Date:
December 30, 2023

Study Description

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral-shaped Gram-negative bacterium, which causes chronic infection in more than 50% of human population. H. pylori infection is associated with several gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastritis and gastric/duodenal ulcers. Moreover, accumulating body of evidence indicates the possible role of H. Pylori infection in extraintestinal health problems, such as iron deficiency anemia, immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), numerous dermatological diseases, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. This condition affects 0.5% to 1% of all children and is associated with neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences. Seizures can usually be controlled by anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) in up to two-thirds of children with epilepsy. However, this leaves a significant part of epileptic children whose seizures are not controlled by pharmacotherapy.

The development of epilepsy is highly complex and can be attributed to multiple etiologies classified into structural (e.g., malformation, trauma, ischemia), genetic, infectious, metabolic, and immune factors. However, the etiology remains unknown in about half of epileptic children. Idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) constitute about one-third of all epilepsies. Efforts to explore new possible mechanisms contributing to the development of epilepsy, particularly drug-resistant IGE, could contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies to improve patients' outcomes.

The role of H. pylori infection in epilepsy has been investigated in a few studies, some of which reported that the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection is significantly higher in patients with idiopathic epilepsy compared with patients with other chronic diseases, and that H. pylori infection is associated with poor prognosis.

Potential H. pylori-induced epileptic effects are probably immune-mediated that can be attributed to a cross-mimicry mechanism between H. pylori and human cellular phospholipids with production of autoimmune antibodies (e.g., anti-cardiolipin) and H. pylori infection-related activation of pro-inflammatory cells with systemic release of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, 8 and TNF- α) which are involved in disruption of the blood-brain barrier and neuroinflammation.

To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous studies on the effect of treating H. pylori infection on seizure frequency among children with drug-resistant IGE. This study aims to evaluate the effect of treating H. pylori infection on seizure frequency among children with drug-resistant IGE.

Connect with a study center

  • Sohag University Hospital

    Sohag, 82524
    Egypt

    Site Not Available

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.