Chapter Name: Egyptian Chapter
Report By: Dr. Nirmeen Adel, Dr. Reham Shamlol

Publications:

• Predictors of successful Ramadan fasting in Muslim patients with epilepsy: A prospective study. Rehab Magdy, Nirmeen A. kishk, Noha T. Abokrysha, Gihan M. Ramzy, Hoda Ibrahim Rizk, Mona Hussein. Seizure, Volume 80, 2020, Pages 67-70, ISSN 1059-1311, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2020.04.012. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059131120301187
• Fasting and post fasting effect of Ramadan on different seizure types in patients with active epilepsy. Magdy R, Kishk NA, Abokrysha NT, Ramzy GM, Rizk HI, Hussein M. Nutr Neurosci. 2020 Nov 5:1-5. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2020.1840048. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33151136.
• Role of circulating miR 194-5p, miR 106b, and miR 146a as potential biomarkers for epilepsy: a case-control study. Moustafa, M., Abokrysha, N.T., Eldesoukey, N.A. et al. . Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg 56, 82 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-020-00214-y
• Tramadol-associated seizures in Egypt: Epidemiological, clinical, and radiological study. Reham Mohammed Shamloul, Nervana Mohammed Elfayomy, Ehab Ismael Ali, Ahmed Mohammed Mohammed Elmansy, Mohammad A. Farrag, NeuroToxicology, Volume 79, 2020, Pages 122-126, ISSN 0161-813X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2020.05.002. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X20300826)
• Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures in Patients With Epilepsy A Comparative Study With Patients With Pure Epilepsy. Kishk N, Raafat O, Abdou H, Nawito A, Shamloul RM, Belal M, El-Makawi S. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2020 Dec 11. DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001281. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33315796.
• External validation of STESS and EMSE as outcome prediction scores in an Egyptian cohort with status epilepticus. El-Tamawy MS, Amer H, Kishk NA, Nawito AM, Basheer MA, Alieldin N, Magdy R, Othman AS. Epilepsy Behav. 2020 Jan;102:106686. DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106686. Epub 2019 Nov 21. PMID: 31760201.
• Assessment of the response to antiepileptic drugs in epileptic patients with structural lesion(s) on neuroimaging. Zaki, M.A., ElSherif, L.N. & Shamloul, R.M. Assessment of the response to antiepileptic drugs in epileptic patients with structural lesion(s) on neuroimaging. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg 56, 108 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-020-00243-7

Summary of Activities:

• The Purple day for Epilepsy awareness for the public was held on 7th March
• The “Cairo University Epilepsy Unit” Facebook page is continuously uploaded with public educational materials which recently included basic information about Epilepsy and COVID
• EEG reading workshop 12th Jan 2020
• First seizure management 26th Jan
• The Epilepsy Teaching course 2020 was held under the theme: Pharmaco-resistance Epilepsy during the 22nd Cairo International Neurology Conference (CNC) on 10th February 2021
• The 2020 Epilepsy Review Course and Best Practices Cairo, Egypt was held between 4 - 6 March 2020
• Undergraduate and postgraduate online educational sessions on Epilepsy was started after the lockdown for the COVID pandemic
• Journal club gathering to discuss important research results and updates on Epilepsy
• Webinar on Epilepsy was successfully organized on anti-seizure medications
• Epilepsy session of Alex. Univ. Conference “Disease-modifying therapy in epilepsy” 26th Feb
• Epilepsy session of Tanta Univ. Conference “Therapeutic drug monitoring, the when what and why?” 25 June
• Epilepsy academy chapter 4, 17th December
• Ain Shams Univ. Epilepsy day “Management of seizures in intensive care unit”

Challenges:

• To maintain a continuous supply of the anti-seizure medication to people with low socio-economic state
• Management of drug-resistant epilpesy is mostly limited by the high costs which also hinders improvement of experiences in these fields as:
  Invasive EEG monitoring
• Genetic studies
• Neuromodulation therapies

Future Plans:

A task force is dedicated to increase experience and services regarding management of drug-resistant epilepsy including:

• Performing intra-operative Ecog
• Functional brain imaging as PET scan and functional MRI
• Conducting a study on the effectiveness of ketogenic diet on adolescence and adult patients with epilepsy

Construct ESAE-Website that may contain: CUEU services, information on meetings and epilepsy related events, educational materials (handouts and videos), a section for public awareness, and how to contact the CUEU Team.

Officer Election Date: 26 March 2021