Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers in pediatric epilepsy: a pilot study

Epilepsy is among the most prevalent neurological disorders in children, yet its diagnosis remains largely subjective and reliant on clinician expertise. This highlights the need for objective, minimally invasive biomarkers to support early diagnosis and predict drug resistance. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in whole blood present a promising avenue as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pediatric epilepsy. This study explores the relationship between selected miRNA expression levels and clinical characteristics in children with epilepsy.

A literature review identified five miRNAs with high potential as biomarkers for drug-resistant epilepsy based on studies of the adult population. Quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) assays were employed to measure miRNA levels in whole blood and assess correlations with clinical characteristics. This pilot study, conducted from June to December 2023, analyzed 109 of the 115 collected blood samples.

Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between miR-142-3p, miR-194-5p, and miR-342-5p expression levels with sex, miR-142-3p and miR-342-5p expression levels with the age of seizure onset, and miR-342-5p with family history. Additionally, miR-233-3p expression showed a statistically significant correlation with EEG abnormalities. The analysis did not demonstrate the potential of the selected miRNAs as valuable biomarkers.

Differences in epilepsy etiology between pediatric and adult populations, along with age and disease duration-dependent miRNA expression, suggest that adult-based findings may not be directly applicable to children. Further research in pediatric cohorts is essential to establish miRNAs as reliable biomarkers for pediatric epilepsy diagnosis and prognosis.