Bridging the Childhood Epilepsy Treatment Gap in Northern Nigeria (BRIDGE)

摘要 癫痫是全世界儿童中最常见的严重神经疾病，大约 80%的癫痫儿童生活在低收入和中等收入国家，发病率和 死亡风险增加。在LMICs的癫痫儿童中，67%到90%的儿童没有接受 持续和适当的治疗--这种现象被称为癫痫治疗缺口。数百万人 生活在LMICs中的癫痫儿童并没有从过去癫痫护理的进步中受益 半个世纪以来，由于富裕国家的癫痫护理模式不容易适应资源现实-- 贫穷的撒哈拉以南非洲。 《弥合尼日利亚北部儿童癫痫治疗鸿沟(桥)》将奠定基础 在此基础上对创新的癫痫护理系统进行更大规模的确定性研究和临床试验 治疗方法：(A)量化和绘制尼日利亚卡诺儿童癫痫治疗差距图，(B)培训， 发展和试点任务转移癫痫护理小组，以改善癫痫护理机会；以及(C)发展 并试验为资源有限的低资源环境设计的创新癫痫诊断范例 获得脑电(EEG)。为了实现这些目标，我们组建了一支强大的 代表范德比尔特大学医学中心、阿米努·卡诺教学医院的多学科团队 尼日利亚卡诺和桥梁咨询委员会-一个多学科的专家团队，专注于在 儿童癫痫治疗缺口。以及将在这座桥上进行的临床试验 基金会，有可能缩小撒哈拉以南非洲儿童癫痫治疗的差距，并在 世界各地的贫困社区。

Abstract Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder among children worldwide, and approximately 80% of children with epilepsy live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with increased morbidity and increased risk of death. Among children with epilepsy in LMICs, between 67% and 90% are not receiving consistent and appropriate treatment – a phenomena known as the epilepsy treatment gap. The millions of children with epilepsy living in LMICs have not benefited from the advances in epilepsy care over the past half-century, as the models of epilepsy care in rich countries are not easily adapted to the reality of resource- poor sub-Saharan Africa. “Bridging the Childhood Epilepsy Treatment Gap in Northern Nigeria (BRIDGE)” will establish a foundation upon which to perform larger definitive studies and clinical trials of innovative epilepsy care systems and therapies by (a) quantifying and mapping the childhood epilepsy treatment gap in Kano, Nigeria, (b) training, developing, and piloting task-shifted epilepsy care teams to improve epilepsy care access, and (c) developing and piloting innovative epilepsy diagnostic paradigms designed for low-resource environments with limited access to electroencephalograms (EEGs). To accomplish these aims we have assembled a strong multidisciplinary team representing Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano, Nigeria, and the BRIDGE Advisory Board- a multi-disciplinary team of experts focused on bridging the childhood epilepsy treatment gap. BRIDGE, and the clinical trials that will be built upon the BRIDGE foundation, have the potential to close the childhood epilepsy treatment gap in sub-Saharan Africa, and in poor communities around the world.