Chapter Name: ILAE- Georgian Chapter
Report By: Sofia Kasradze

Publications:

Articles

1. Dugladze T., Bäurle P., Kasradze S., Lomidze G., Gzirishvili N., et all. Initiating a new national epilepsy surgery program: Experiences gathered in Georgia. Epilepsy Behav 2020;111:107259.
2. Silagadze K., Kasradze S., Silagadze T., Lomidze G. Validation of a Georgian version of the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E). Epilepsy Behav.2019;101(Pt A):106587. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106587.
3. ZhizhiashviliL.,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 2018; Vol50 (5):382-388

Abstracts

1. Kasradze S., Kashmadze K., Khasia B., Kirtava Z., Lomidze G. Development of Patients’ e-Registry and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) as Cost-Effective Management System for Epilepsy - the pilot study in Georgia. Abstracts of the 13th International Congress on Controversies in Neurology (CONy), 4-7 April, 2019, Madrid, Spain. Abstract # 296.
2. Kasradze S., Kashmadze K., Khasia B., Kirtava Z., Lomidze G. From patients’ e-Registry – to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) – e-Health technologies for Epilepsy follow-up Management in Georgia. Epilepsia 2019; Vol 60 (Iss S2): P216- p125.
3. Gogatishvili N., Tkemaladze T., Skrahina V., Kasradze S., Rolfs A. SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability with ataxia and late onset of epileptic seizures [abstract]. Mov Disord.2020; 35 (suppl1): Abstr:1251.

Existing Guidelines and Protocols (Georgian)

• Instruction manual for the ILAE 2017 operational classification of seizure types (translated by the Kvernadze A., Kvennadze D. and Kasradze S. according to the ILAE recommendations, 2018)
• 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 (Kvernadze D., Lomidze G., Silagadze K. Kasradze S.,)(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:

Activities (2019-2020)

• GLAE and Georgian branch of the IBEHave actively cooperated with Georgian government agencies to ensure the participation of the Geogian state in the Assemblyof the World Health Organization and to support the resolution on epilepsy.
• With the support of experts from different countries (Sperling M., Zangaladze A., Ozkara C., Uzan M.) and ROW Foundation (handed Video-EEG), in collaboration with German professionals (Holtkamp M., Shneider U.), in a frame of the German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity” (PI-Gloveli T.) epilepsy surgery was established and developed in Georgia.
• According to a project prepared by the GLAE in collaboration with Georgian Ministry of Health, a free medication’sprogram is provided for people with epilepsy(Carbamazepine, Valproate, Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam)
• National State Program on “Presurgical evaluation of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy” was elaborated and submitted to the Georgian Ministry of Health for discussion.
• “GLAE Lifetime Achievement Award in Epilepsy” was given to Emilio Perucca in 2019 for special and significant personal contribution and activities that promote the development of epilepsy education and research in Georgia.

Conferences and meetings

• 9^th Caucasian Summer School on Clinical Epileptology (CSSCE-IX) - “New vision on Diagnosis, Treatment and Care of Epilepsy” [11^th -13^th October, 2019. Hotel “ZP-Palace”, Tbilisi, Georgia].
• Local Meetings of GLAE members (once per year)
• Participation in an International digital meeting on epilepsy and Alzheimer (2020)
• Participation in DELPHI consensus for Myoclonic Atonic Seizures
• Organization of local conference with young scientific union “Modern principles of classification and management of epilepsy” (20 20)

Education

• 24 graduates of Educational Courses (12 physicians in 2018-2019, 12 physicians in 2019-2020) on Clinical Electroencephalography accredited by the Georgian MoH as a EEG-sub-specialist (duration 8 months);
• Training on Video-EEG (one physician) and on intensive care (one physician) - one month intensive training of clinical electrophysiologist and neurologist 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” (2019)
• Translation and dissemination of the

• Optimizing status epilepticus care during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020)
• Clinically relevant Drug-Drug interaction between AEDs and medications used in the treatment of COVID-19
• Novel Corona virus Infection and Epilepsy

• Educational conference on diagnosis, treatment and care of epilepsy in primary health care settigs (2020 Batumi, “Sheraton Batumi Hotel”).
• Meetings “News in Epileptology” on the base of Epilepsy Centre (on-line in 2020)
• 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 (2019);

Teaching courses –young physicians were trained in EU countries on

• clinical epileptology and video-EEG monitoring (Brandenburg Epilepsy Centre)
• EEG investigations (basic, clinical –pediatric/adults, sleep-EEG, EEG-score)
• New antiepileptic drugs (EILAT)
• Caucasian Summer School on Clinical Epileptology

Research

International

• Multicentre clinical study – “Epihunter Clinical Validation study” (2020-ungoing);
• To identify epileptogenic foci and seizure propagation neuronal network through Janashia-Lagvilava non-parametric method among individuals with drugresistant epilepsy – pilot study (2020 –ungoing) (Founded by the Caucasus International University, Tbilisi, Georgia).
• German-Georgian Project: “EpilepCure Hallmarks of epileptic brain activity” (Donor – Ministry of Education and Sciences of Germany);
• Standardized Computer-based Organized Reporting of EEG: “EEG SCORE”
• 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
• EURAP- European Registry on Antiepileptic Drugs and Pregnancy (2001-ongoing).

Local

• Screening of Anxiety and depression among people with epilepsy during the CoV-19-Pandemic period by the “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)” (2020-ungoing)
• Peculiarities of manifestation and course of COVID-19 infection in people with neurological disorders – E-questionnaire study (2020-ungoing; https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVxUCJbSy0Lr9A6vqSLKKgBEQDYoU89xGrILWctIPBIWkpgg/viewform?usp=sf_link)

Services

• Video- EEG monitoring and pre-surgical evaluation of people with drug-resistant epilepsies (are provided under the supervision of the International Experts).
• Epilepsy surgery (are provided under the supervision of the International Experts).
• National State Program for diagnoses and treatment according to national guidelines and protocols (Multidisciplinary investigations 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 60% of people with epilepsy living in Georgia are investigated and registered in Epilepsy Registry (since 2005);
• Screening of cognitive disorders is included in diagnostic and care of epilepsy.
• Video-EEG monitoring is actively included in diagnosis of non-epileptic events.
• Basic genetic investigations are provided in Georgia
• In order to increase the availability of qualified services, the Epilepsy Prevention and Control Centre Established mobile groups of specialists for investigations and consultations of patients with epilepsy living in different regions of Georgia.

Social events

• The short film on "People with Epilepsy" was prepared together with the Georgian cinematographers;
• An informational film was prepared about epilepsy surgery with the participation of two patients after the surgery and the film was distributed by a famous TV channel throughout the country.
• There were prepared the TV- shows devoted to “European Epilepsy Day” (2019 and 2020) and “International Epilepsy Day” ( 2019 and 2020);
• “Epilepsy Day” - Awareness meeting for medical students of David Tvildiani Medical University (08.02.2020)
• Informational Lectures on new classifications of epileptic seizures were implemented for regional neurologists in Gori, in Batumi and in Kobuleti;
• TV-broadcasts were performed on epilepsy (5 in 2019 - 2020) and on epilepsy surgery (3 in 2019-2020).
• A TV program dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Prof.Tina Geladze, the founder of epileptology and clinical neurophysiology in Georgia, was prepared and was broadcasted on Georgian Medical Television "Pulse"

 “GLAE Lifetime Achievement Award in Epilepsy” was awarded to Prof. Emilio Perucca, Italy (2019)

 Laureates of GLAE Lifetime Achievement Awards

• Prof. Emilio Perucca, Italy (2019)
• Prof. Federico Vigevano, Italy (2018)
• Prof. Meir Bialer, Israel (2017)

Challenges:

Future Plans:

Officer Election Date: