Infantile Spasms — Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.com.au) on 11 September 2026
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
DTaP-induced infantile epileptic spasms syndrome high-risk window: Insights from school-age children.
Zhang Qi et al. — Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics (1 December 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41910094/
- 2.
[A case of bilateral open-lip schizencephaly with West syndrome due to variant of PAFAH1B1 gene and literature review].
Liu Xiaojuan et al. — Zhonghua yi xue yi chuan xue za zhi = Zhonghua yixue yichuanxue zazhi = Chinese journal of medical genetics (10 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42711133/
- 3.
PARS2 deficiency impairs mitochondrial homeostasis and activates ferroptotic to drive developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.
Li Ziheng et al. — Free radical biology & medicine (1 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42259431/
- 4.
Executive summary of the Japanese clinical practice guidelines for tuberous sclerosis complex-associated epilepsy 2025.
Okanishi Tohru et al. — Brain & development (1 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42607557/
- 5.
Early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: clinical spectrum, diagnosis, outcomes, and evolving treatment strategies.
Samanta Debopam — Brain & development (1 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42607558/
Clinical Trials — Australian Sites
Ask your doctor whether you or your child may be eligible for any of these trials.
- 1.
IBIS - Investigating Reliability of BIS and SEDLINE Monitoring in Children With Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEE).
Not yet recruiting — Telethon Kids Institute
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07585643
- 2.
Tricaprilin Infantile Spasms Pilot Study
Completed — Phase 1 — Cerecin
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04727970
- 3.
Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project
Completed — University of California, San Francisco
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00552045
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Infantile Spasms
Infantile spasms is a rare and serious type of epilepsy that usually begins in the first year of life. Babies have clusters of brief jerks or stiffening, often with a very disorganised brainwave pattern, and development may slow or go backwards. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with medicines such as steroids or vigabatrin give the best chance of stopping the spasms.
Most Recent Research
To determine the specific high-risk characteristics and temporal window associated with Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine-precipitated infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS), providing evidence for optimizing vaccination safety strategies, we conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of 564 patients with long-term follow-up (6.5-10.5 y). Patients were stratified by seizure onset interval into Vaccination-proximate (≤72 hours) and distant (>72 hours) groups. The proximate group (n = 53, 9.4%) exhibited a significantly younger age distribution (median [IQR]: 5.0 [3.0-6.0] vs. 5.0 [4.0-7.0] months, p = .04) and higher DTaP exposure (71.7% vs. 51.3%). Multivariable logistic regression in an etiologically analytic cohort (n = 541) identified the DTaP primary series as a significant independent precipitant for rapid onset (Dose 1: OR = 4.00; Doses 2 & 3: OR = 4.67) compared to other inactivated vaccines. Crucially, no increased risk was observed for the DTaP booster (Dose 4) or non-DTaP inactivated vaccines. Kaplan-Meier analysis confirmed a steep rise in seizure incidence within 72 hours post-primary DTaP. Long-term follow-up revealed no significant differences in all-cause mortality, seizure remission, or educational placement (p > .05) between groups, indicating that vaccination merely precipitated disease onset without altering the etiology-determined prognosis. This study, based on the full-course observation of school-aged children, is the first to validate the specificity of the DTaP-IESS association. The DTaP primary series is a critical precipitating factor for rapid onset (≤72 hours) in infants with underlying epileptogenic susceptibility. We recommend a stratified immunization strategy for high-risk infants: adhering to schedules for non-DTaP vaccines while adopting a prudent "delay-but-not-refuse" approach for DTaP to balance neurological safety with herd immunity.
Common Questions
What is Infantile Spasms?
Infantile spasms is a rare and serious type of epilepsy that usually begins in the first year of life. Babies have clusters of brief jerks or stiffening, often with a very disorganised brainwave pattern, and development may slow or go backwards. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with medicines such as steroids or vigabatrin give the best chance of stopping the spasms.
How many clinical trials are available for Infantile Spasms?
RareWays currently indexes 27 clinical trials for Infantile Spasms, of which 6 are actively recruiting. Trial availability changes as new studies are registered — check the trials tab for current status.
Where does the research data for Infantile Spasms come from?
RareWays aggregates research from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data is updated regularly by Rocky, RareWays' automated research engine. All articles and trials link directly to their original sources.
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This information is for general awareness only.
For guidance specific to your situation, please speak with your healthcare team.