Chapter Name: ILAE- Georgian Chapter

Publications:

1. Zhizhiashvili L., Japaridze G., Lomidze G., Kasradze S. Effect of Levetiracetam on EEG activity and menstrual cycle regularity in women with epilepsy. Zhizhiashvili L., Japaridze G., Lomidze G., Neurophysiology (in press)
2. Gogatishvili, Khachapuridze N., Ediberidze T., Lomidze G., et al., Autism and Autistic spectrum disorders in children with fetal antiepileptic drugs exposure. Therapia. 2017:1(6):40-43 (Georgian).
3. Silagadze K., Kasradze S. Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Therapia. 2017:1(6):12-14 (Georgian).
4. Gogatishvili N., Khachapuridze N., Japaridze G., Kasradze S. Epileptic seizures and EEG future in children with fetal antiepileptic drugs exposure. Clinical and Experimental Medicine 2017;1:72-76 (Georgian).
5. Mosiashvili Zh., Kasradze S., Gagoshidze T. Working Memory Deficit in Patients with Temporal and Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (2017). JSM Brain Science 2(2):2015.
6. Alkhidze M., Lomidze G., Kasradze S., Tsiskaridze A. Characteristics and predictive biomarkers of drug resistant epilepsy - study in Georgia.Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamation 2017;4:191-8.
7. Kasradze S, Gogatishvili N, Lomidze G, Ediberidze T, Lazariashvili M, Khomeriki K, Mamukadze S, Metreveli M, Gagoshidze T., Tatishvili N., Tomson T. Cognitive functions in children exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero - Study in Georgia. Epilepsy Behav. 2017 Jan;66:105-112. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.10.014.
8. Gogatishvili N. Khachapuridze N., Ediberidze T., Lomidze G., Mamukadze Sh, Gagoshidze T., Kasradze S. Differenc aspects of cognitive functioning and Autism in Children with anticonvulsive exposure during pregnancy. Experimental and Clinical Medicine 2017; 1:40-43 (Georgian)
9. Silagadze K., Kasradze S. Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Therapia (Georgian) 2017; 1(6):12-14.
10. Gogatishvili N., Khachapuridze N., Japaridze G., Kasradze S. Epileptic seizures and EEG-future in children with anticonvulsive exposure during the fetal period. Experimental and Clinical Medicine 2017; 1:72-76 (Georgian)

Guidelines

• Guideline – Diagnosis and Treatment of Epilepsy (Kasradze S., Kvernadze D., Lomidze G) (2017)
• Guideline – Diagnosis, Treatment and Management of Status Epilepticus (Kasradze S., Kvernadze D., Alkhidze M., Jishkariani T., Ediberidze T. and Gogatishvili N.)(2017)
• Protocol – Management of the first unprovoked seizure (KAsradze S., Kvernadze D., Lomidze G) (2017)
• Protocol-Epilepsy Management at Primary Health Care Settings (Kasradze S., Kvernadze D., Lomidze G., Silagadze K)(2017)
• Protocol - Neuro-imaging for Patients with epilepsy (Kasradze S., Okujava M., Lomidze G.)(2017)
• Protocol – Protocol for Imaging infants and children with new-onset epilepsy (Kasradze S., Okujava M., Lomidze G.)(2017)
• Protocol – Diagnosis and Management of Pharmacoresistant Epilepsy (Kasradze S., Kvernadze D., Alkhidze M., Lomidze G.)(2017)
• Protocol – Management of the Convulsive Status Epilepticus (Tatishvili N., Shatirisahvili T., Kipiani T., Dikhamindjia N., Tujishvili M., Chikvinidze G.)(2017)

Summary of Activities:

Chapter activities during 2017-2018

Important News

For more details and photos, please see the Georgian chapter Spotlight: https://www.ilae.org/regions-and-countries/national-chapters/chapter-spotlights/georgia
• ROW foundation handed Video-EEG to Georgian Epileptologists for investigations of people with epilepsy and promotion of Epilepsy Surgery services in Georgia (2018)
• Epilepsy surgery was launched in October 2018 in Georgia, in a frame of the German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity”. In collaboration of the German and Georgian professionals was performed epilepsy surgery by the non-invasive protocol (right-side MTS, one case) and by invasive protocol – EEG with foramen ovale electrodes (bi-lateral MTS, one case)
• ILAE-Georgian chapter and Georgian Epilepsy Prevention and Control Centre in collaboration with Georgian Ministry of Health elaborated National Program on AED-supply for people with epilepsy (Carbamazepine, Valproate, Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam - free for patients)(2018)
• Georgian Epilepsy Prevention and Control Centre elaborated “EpiSoft” - e-Health format for Diagnosis and follow-up Management of Epilepsy (was lanched in 2018).
• ILAE-Georgian Chapter and Georgian Epilepsy Prevention and Control Centre Translated and adapter EEG-Score format in Georgian.
• ILAE-Georgian Chapter established “GLAE Lifetime Achievement Award in Epilepsy” that will be given to one person in a year, which will have a special and significant personal contribution and activities that promote the development of epilepsy education in Georgia.

Conferences and meetings

• ILAE/ILAE-Europe and ILAE-Georgian chapter’s Pre-conference symposia “Infantile epilepsy in light of new ILAE classification-new terminology, etiology and treatment perspectives” (https://eacd2018.net/pre-conference-symposia/) in a frame of the 30th International Conference of European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD2018, Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia) (https://eacd2018.net/)
• 3rd Caucasian Course in Child Neurology – Epilepsy (EPNS2108, Tbilisi, Georgia). Organizers Tbilisi State Medical University, Association of Child Neurology and Behavioral Disorders and European Pediatric Neurological Society (2018).
• Achievement of new board members of ILAE-Georgian chapter (2018)
• Local Meetings of GLAE members (once per year)
• 1st Conference & Workshop of the German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity”, Georgian National Academy of Science, Tbilisi, Georgia (2017)
• Plenary session on pediatric/adult epilepsy care in a frame of Local Conference (Annual Meeting) of Georgian Academy of Neurology, Tbilisi, Georgia (2017)

Education

• Six graduates of 1st Educational Course on Clinical Electroencephalography accredited by Georgian MoH as a EEG-sub-speciality (duration 8 months)(2018);
• Training of EMU-group - one month intensive training of epileptologist, clinical electrophysiologist and neurosurgeon in February, and one month intensive training of epileptologist, clinical electrophysiologist, neuropsychologist, clinical manager in November on the base of Epilepsy Center Berlin Brandenburg, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany in a frame of the German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity” (2018)
• Translation of the new classification of epileptic seizures (2018)
• Educational conference on New Classifications of Epilepsies for its implementation (2018)
• Meetings regarding “News in Epileptology” on the base of Epilepsy Centre (every month)
• German-Georgian TV-conferences regarding case-reports for Pre-surgical Evaluation of good candidates for epilepsy surgery among people with drug-resistant epilepsy in a frame of German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity” on the base of the Epilepsy Prevention and control Centre, Tbilisi, Georgia - one per three months (2018);

ILAE/VIREPA/other - teaching courses –young physicians were trained EU countries and in USA on
• clinical epileptology
• EEG investigations (basic, clinical –pediatric/adults, sleep-EEG, EEG-score)
• New antiepileptic drugs (EILAT)
• Ketogenic diet
• High frequency oscillations (DAAD-program in Cellular and Network Physiology Lab Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin)
• MRI/fMRI-Epilepsy Protocol
• Epilepsy surgery (pre-surgical evaluation and surgery)

Research

International

• EURAP-NCEP- “EURAP extension protocol No. 2, Neuro-Cognitive Extension Protocol (NCEP) for children exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero“ (2018 -ongoing)
• German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity” (Donor – Ministry of Education and Sciences of Germany)
• EP0034 – Multicentre, open-Label, Long-term extension study to investigate the efficacy and safety of Lacosamide as adjunctive therapy in pediatric subjects with epilepsy with partial-onset seizures (Phase 3)(UCB Biosciences Inc).
• SP0969-Multicenter, double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, parallel group study to evaluate the of efficacy and safety of lacosamide (LCM) as adjunctive therapy in subjects with epilepsy ≥4 years to • SP-0967 -Multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Lacosamide as adjunctive therapy in subjects with epilepsy ≥1 month to • Five pragmatic random studies comparing Levetiracetam effectiveness with Lamotrigine, Carbamazepine and Sodium Valproate in newly diagnosed untreated epilepsies (EpiNet Study)
• EURAP- European Registry on Antiepileptic Drugs and Pregnancy (2001-ongoing).

Local

• Epidemiology and risk-factors of pharmaco-resistance epilepsy In Batumi Region
• Validation of a Georgian version of the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E)
• Peculiarities of Depression and other psychiatric disorders in people with Epilepsy and (Founded by the Caucasus International University, Tbilisi, Georgia)
• Clinical Audit of Epilepsy Care in Gurjaani Region of Georgia (founded by the EU – Kakheti Reginal Development Foundation).
• Thesis “Stigma and Self-stigma in Adolescents with Epilepsy” (2017)
• Thesis “Cognitive functions in children exposed to anticonvulsants in utero” (founded by the Shota Rustaveli National Scientific Foundation)(2017)
• Thesis “Working Memory Deficit in Patients with Temporal and Frontal Lobe Epilepsies” (2017)

Services

• Epilepsy surgery was started, EMU-Group is working in collaboration with International experts
• Long-term EEG -Telemetry and pre-surgical evaluation of people with drugresistant epilepsies was started in Georgia under the supervision of International Experts.
• Multidisciplinary (neurologist-epileptologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist, standard EEG, high resolution MRI) diagnoses center by the National Guidelines and Protocols (pediatric/adults) became a mandatory format;
• Up to 51% of people with epilepsy living in Georgia are investigated multidisciplinary by the ILAE recommendations (Engel, 2001) and registered in Epilepsy Registry at the Epilepsy Prevention and Control Centre of the Institute of Neurology and Neuropsychology (since 2005)
• Video-EEG monitoring was actively included in differential diagnosis of epilepsy and non-epileptic events.
• Basic genetic investigations was implemented in Georgia
• Established new Regional Group for multidisciplinary diagnoses of Epilepsy in Gori (Shida Kartlii region of Georgia)(2018).

Social events

• Conference for students and staff in David Tvildiani Medical University devoted to “International Epilepsy Day 2018” (2018)
• Organizing of “European epilepsy day” and “World Epilepsy Day” (in 2017)
• Public Lectures on Epilepsy in Regional PHC settings in Gurjaani (east Georgia, 6 lectures), in Kutaisi (west Georgia, 2 lectures), in Terjola (west Georgia, 1 lectures)(2018).
• TV-broadcasts on epilepsy (11 in 2018)

Awards

GLAE Lifetime Achievement Award in Epilepsy were given to:

Challenges:

Lack of global vision of the epilepsy problem in health care system; lack of financial availability from Government for repeated investigations of patients (EEG, EEG-monitoring, drug monitoring, pre-surgical evaluation, MRI investigations and etc.), lack of availability on new/newest anticonvulsive drugs, other treatment methods (ketogenic diet).

Future Plans:

Officer Election Date: Next Election data 2022