EEG diagnosis of rolandic epilepsy in Barbados - abstract

ABSTRACT

Benigh Rolandic Epilepsy (BRE) is the most common of the benign partial epilepsies of childhood accounts for 15-20 per cent of cases of childhood epilepsies. This is a retrospective study of EEG findings in BRE from January, 1988 to November, 1989. EEG records of all patients between 3 and 13 years of age (n=197) were reviewed. EEG recordings were done on a 16-channel EEG machine using both bipolar and referential montages with the patient asleep. Routine photic stimulation and hyperventilation provocation tests were performed in all cases. The EEG diagnosis of BRE was made according to criteria adapted from Dalla Bernardina et al. Fifty of 197 recordings (26 per cent) contained clear epileptiform activity of which 20 fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for BRE. Rolandic spikes were central/mid-temporal in 16, parietal/posterior-temporal in 2 and occipital in 2. There was no correlation between rolandic spike location and seizure type partial motor (5), complex partial (9), generalized nocturnal (4) and no history of seizure in 2 patients. BRE is truly benign with infrequent seizures in many patients, often nocturnal, easily controlled with anti-epileptic medication and with an excellent prognosis for disappearance by adulthood. Early diagnosis of BRE by EEG recordings is important for both parent and child and also avoids expensive and unnecessary investigations such as CT brain scan (AU)