Computed tomography scan findings among pediatric patients with unprovoked seizures: A hospital-based study

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> To describe the radiologic findings in pediatric patients who underwent cranial CT scan for unprovoked seizures at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and determine whether there is any association between the demographic characteristics such as age, age at onset, gender, as well as normal or abnormal neurologic examination findings, and the abnormal CT scan findings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>METHODS:</b> Official results of all pediatric patients who underwent cranial CT scan for unprovoked seizures from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 in PGH were reviewed. Data were described and statistically analyzed for differences in CT scan findings between different sexes, age groups, ages at onset, and presence or absence of neurologic findings.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:</strong> Of the 88 cases included, 29 (32.95%) had abnormal CT findings. The most common finding was volume loss. No statistically significant difference was noted for the frequency of abnormal CT findings between categories. There was a trend towards more frequent abnormal CT scan findings among males, and among patients exhibiting abnormal neurologic findings.</p>

Crisis epilépticas en la población infantil / Seizures in children

Las crisis epilépticas son un problema neurológico que afecta entre un 4-10 por ciento de los niños hasta los 16 años. Las crisis deben ser diferenciadas de otros desórdenes neurológicos de los niños y clasificadas según su tipo. El tratamiento de emergencia está focalizado en la estabilización del paciente, terminar con la actividad convulsiva y determinar la causa de ésta. Diferentes modalidades de tratamiento existen a largo plazo, pero el adecuado tratamiento va a depender de un diagnóstico correcto y el conocimiento de los beneficios y efectos adversos de la terapia indicada.

Seizures are a neurological problem that affects between 4 to 10 per cent of children up to age 16. The crisis must be differentiated from other neurological disorders of children and classified by type. Emergency treatment is focused on stabilizing the patient, ending the seizure activity and determine the cause of this. There are different treatment modalities in the long term, but proper treatment will depend on a correct diagnosis and awareness of the benefits and adverse effects of prescribed therapy.