New Blood Tests May Help Diagnose Pediatric Epilepsy

Source: Epilepsia

Summary

This study looked at the potential of certain microRNAs as biomarkers for pediatric epilepsy, which is a common neurological disorder in children. Researchers enrolled 122 children with epilepsy and 29 healthy children at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome between 2022 and 2025. They measured four specific microRNAs in the blood to see if they could help with diagnosing and monitoring epilepsy.

The key findings showed that all four microRNAs were present in higher amounts in children with epilepsy compared to healthy controls. Specifically, two of the microRNAs, miR-15a-5p and miR-106b-5p, were linked to how often children had seizures, with higher levels in those experiencing more frequent seizures. Another microRNA, miR-146a-5p, appeared to be related to the type of epilepsy a child had, particularly in cases with structural causes. Over time, the levels of miR-15a-5p and miR-106b-5p increased, suggesting they could indicate ongoing seizure activity.

These findings are important because they suggest that measuring these microRNAs could help doctors better understand and manage epilepsy in children. However, the study has limitations, such as a small number of healthy controls and a focus on a specific hospital, which may not represent all children with epilepsy. More research is needed to confirm these results and explore how these biomarkers can be used in everyday clinical practice.

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