Comparative study of typical and atypical benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (Rolandic epilepsy) / 소아과

PURPOSE: This study aims to examine and compare the features of rolandic epilepsy. METHODS: Of 158 patients selected retrospectively, 116 had typical (group A) and 42 had atypical (group B) rolandic epilepsy, as defined by Worrall's criteria. RESULTS: The age at onset of the seizures in group Awas 8.6+/-2.0 y and 6.2+/-1.7 y in group B (P>0.05). Among the 40 patients who underwent neuroimaging studies (25 patients in group Aand 15 patients in group B), abnormal findings in group B included ventricular dilatation, mild cortical atrophy, and partial agenesis of corpus callosum. group A had no abnormal findings. The frequency of seizures was 2.0+/-1.0 and 2.3+/-1.2 per month in groups A and B respectively. Seizure control from the initial anticonvulsant treatment was achieved within 3 months in group A, and 3 to 12 months in group B. A 2-year remission rate was noted in 105 patients in group A and in 38 patients in group B. Of these, the recurrence rate after 2 y was 13 in group A and 12 in group B. CONCLUSION: Age of onset of seizures, gender, frequency of seizures before therapy, and 2-y remission rate were not significantly different in the 2 groups. However, neuroimaging abnormalities, the time to achieving seizure control from the initial anticonvulsant treatment, and the recurrence rate after being seizure-free for 2 y were significantly different in the 2 groups.

The Comparison of Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Epilepsy with Typical Rolandic Spikes and Concomitantly Additional Frontal or Occipital Spikes with Rolandic Spikes / 대한간질학회지

PURPOSE: Recently have there been a few reports that raised the question that Benign Rolandic Epilepsy (BRE) could be a spectrum. This study was conducted to identify whether or not the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of typical Rolandic Spikes (RS) are different from those of concomitantly additional frontal or occipital spikes with RS. METHODS: The consecutive 39 patients who showed centro-temporal spikes were divided into typical RS and RS+ groups. We defined RS+ groups as having concomitantly additional frontal or occipital spikes with RS. The independent variables included clinical data 0(age of onset, a significant antecedent event as part of their etiology of epilepsy, nocturnal seizure, abnormal development, abnormal neurologic examination, pattern of seizure, response to medication for at least 1 year and epilepsy syndrome) and electrophysiological data (dipoles, spikes accentuated during sleep). RESULTS: Eighty two percents (32/39) of patients were RS, whereas 18% (7/39) were RS+. The median age of onset was 7 years old and only 10% showed significant antecedent events. Eighty six percents (34/39) of patients had BRE as epilepsy syndrome. Neither clinical factors nor electrophysiological characteristics were different between both groups. CONCLUSION: Although RS+ showed additional spikes more than centro-temporal area, the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of RS+ were not different from those of RS. Centro-temporal with or without additional spikes could be a homogeneous condition rather than a spectrum.

Quantitative EEG Analysis in Atypical Rolandic Epilepsies of Childhood / 대한간질학회지

PURPOSE: Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECT) or benign rolandic epilepsy (BRE) is not always benign in clinical or neuroimaging features. Recent studies have reported atypical forms of rolandic epilepsy with abnormal neurologic and/or neuroimaging findings, sometimes, also with poor seizure control. We investigated whether there are any differences in linear and nonlinear EEG analysis in typical and atypical rolandic epilepsies of childhood. METHODS: Ten patients with typical BRE group and seven patients with atypical BRE group were included in this study. We selected artifact-free 10-second epochs from 19 electrodes of 10-20 international EEG system from each patient. The power spectrum was calculated in delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency ranges. The fractal dimension was analyzed as a nonlinear EEG analysis. We analyzed both EEGs with interictal spikes and without focal slowing or epileptiform activities. RESULTS: The spectral EEG analysis showed a significant increase of absolute and relative power of delta with decrease of alpha bands in atypical BRE group compared to typical group. There was no statistical difference in fractal dimension between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Atypical BRE group showed enhanced delta and decreased alpha power, suggesting a cortical dysfunction in this group with poor clinical outcome.

Comparison of Source Characteristics between Typical and Atypical Rolandic Epilepsy in Childhood / 대한간질학회지

PURPOSE: has been reported that benign rolandic epilepsy of childhood (BRE) does not always show benign nature in a clinical course. We hypothesized that children with atypical feature showed different characteristics of dipole sources of rolandic spikes. METHODS: Twenty-nine children with BRE were enrolled. Twenty patients showed typical features of BRE (typical BRE group). Nine patients were classified as atypical BRE, because each met one or more of the following criteria:(i) neurodevelopmental abnormalities such as mental retardation or delayed development;(ii) abnormal neuroimaging findings; and (iii) poor seizure control. Routine waking and sleep EEG recordings were obtained for at least 30 min from each patients, using a 32-channel digital EEG machine. Centrotemporal spikes were averaged which was used to do dipole source localization. The source location was estimated within a four-shell ellipsoidal model of the head. Voltage topography, orientation and propagation pattern of dipole source, as well as clinical characteristics were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The clinical characteristics such as age, sex, seizure onset age, and seizure outcome were same in both groups. The negative maximum of spikes was mainly on the central and temporal electrodes in both groups. Two thirds of patients in each group demonstrated dipole sources with tangential orientation. 40% of the typical BRE revealed two sources indicating propagation of spikes around rolandic areas, which was not observed in atypical group. The pattern of propagation was mostly from tangential to radial in anterior direction. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the pathophysiological mechanism generating centrotemporal spikes of atypical BRE is different from that of typical ones.

Children with Centrotemporal Spikes: Clinical and EEG Characteristics / 대한간질학회지

BACKGROUND: Centrotemporal spikes (CTS) are the hallmark of the syndrome of benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes or Rolandic seizures. However, they also can be encountered in other symptomatic epilepsies or may incidentally be found in non-epileptic children with or without neurological symptoms. We investigated clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics of children with CTS on EEG. METHODS: A 7 year material of children with CTS on EEG were reviewed. Sixty-eight children were found. RESULTS: Among them, 55 patients exhibited recurrent rolandic seizures of benign course (so-called benign rolandic epilepsy ; BRE), 9 children suffered from chronic headache without clinical seizure, three patients showed multiple types of seizures or rolandic seizures with some degree of mental retardation, and one child was asymptomatic. In 55 BRE cases, seven children (13%) had a preceding history of febrile convulsions, and a positive family history of epilepsy was found in 9 patients. Generalized spike and wave discharges were observed in 9 patients (16.7%), but none of them experienced clinical absence seizure. In 25 of 29 BRE patients who showed overt lateralized ictal manifestations on history, symptoms were correlated with the main foci of spike discharges. Of the nine children, found to have CTS during evaluation of chronic intermittent or daily headache, the headache was successfully controlled by antiepileptic drugs in two cases. CONCLUSION: Most children with CTS were compatible to the BRE without any causative lesional factor. However, nonepileptic cases were not uncommon and, though rare, atypical cases were also present in children with CTS on EEG.