Long term outcome in children affected by absence epilepsy with onset before the age of three years.
Epilepsy Behav
; 20(2): 366-9, 2011 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21227756
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
The goal of this study was to define the long-term outcome of absence epilepsy presenting before the age of 3 years.METHODS:
We retrospectively studied the medical records of 40 children from eight neuropediatric centers in Italy with respect to the personal and family histories of epilepsy or febrile seizures, time of follow-up, cognitive functions, treatment, and outcome.RESULTS:
Forty patients were enrolled in this study. They all fulfilled the criteria for absence epilepsy with 3-Hz spike-wave complexes on the EEG, normal neurological examination, and no other seizures types. Seizure onset occurred between 24.1 and 36.0 months. There was a family history of epilepsy in 28%, and of febrile seizures in 13%. Thirty-three patients were treated with valproic acid (VPA), mostly used in monotherapy (26 patients) or in association with ethosuximide. At final follow-up, 33 patients were seizure free and 29 had normal EEGs. Thirty-four patients had a normal intelligence quotient (IQ), whereas 6 had a decreased IQ, mainly associated with poor control of seizures.CONCLUSION:
In our series, absence seizures presenting before the age of 3 appeared to have quite a good long-term clinical prognosis; the neuropsychological outcome was comparable to that of childhood epilepsy presenting after 3 years of age.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Epilepsia Tipo Ausencia
/
Cognición
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Epilepsy Behav
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIAS DO COMPORTAMENTO
/
NEUROLOGIA
Año:
2011
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia