Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy Associated With SCN2A Mutation Responsive to Oral Mexiletine

Abstract

Background: Genetic alterations are significant causes of epilepsy syndromes; especially early-onset epileptic encephalopathies and voltage-gated sodium channelopathies are among the best described. Mutations in the SCN2A subunit of voltage-gated sodium channels have been associated with benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures, generalized epilepsy febrile seizures plus, and an early-onset infantile epileptic encephalopathy.

Method: We describe two infants with medically refractory seizures due to a de novo SCN2A mutation.

Results: The first child responded to intravenous lidocaine with significant reduction in seizure frequency and was successfully transitioned to enteral mexiletine. Mexiletine was subsequently used in a second infant with reduction in seizure frequency.

Conclusion: Class 1b antiarrhythmic agents, lidocaine and mexiletine, may be useful in infants with medically refractory early infantile epileptic encephalopathy secondary to mutations in SCN2A.

Keywords: antiarrhythmic agents; channelopathies; epilepsy; lidocaine.