Comparative study between electroencephalographic EEG in relatives of idiopathic epilepsy and normal population

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present work is to study the EEG changes in relatives of idiopathic epilepsy compared with that in a sample of normal population. The study included two groups; Group I consists of 100 relatives of patients with idiopathic epilepsy collected from the Epilepsy Center in EL-Hadara University Hospital and Group II consists of 100 normal subjects with no family history of epilepsy. The relatives in group I were further divided into 4 subgroups according to the type of epilepsy of their epileptic relatives; generalized tonic clonic type [GTC], complex partial type [CP], juvenile myoclonic epilepsy type [JME] and Lennox gastout type [LG]. Both groups were subjected to Thorough history taking including age, history of epilepsy, detailed family history of epilepsy, the degree of kinship and the type of epilepsy. Relatives with general medical problems including renal diseases, hepatic disorder, history of neurological deficits, intake of drugs depressing central nervous system were excluded from the study. Both groups were submitted to Complete general and neurological examination, laboratory investigations included the following Complete blood picture, Fasting blood glucose, Liver transaminase enzymes. [ALT, AST], Renal function tests [serum creatinine, blood urea], Erythrocytic sedimentation rate and Serum calcium. EEG study EEG examination was performed by [10-20 system] under standard conditions with different provocation methods as hyperventilation, photic stimulation and sleep deprivation. The results of the study showed that Pathological EEG changes, in the form of spikes, sharp waves or spike and slow waves complexes were present in 34 out of 100 subjects [34%] of group I, on the other hand only 9 subjects of group II [9%]. The difference was statistically highly significant. [P<0.0001]. Studying the relation of EEG changes and types of epilepsy showed that the percentage of subjects with positive EEG changes in LG group 5 [83.3%] was statistically higher than those in the other 3 subgroups GTC, CP and JME 18[31.0%], 8[30.8%] and 3[30.0%] respectively. Comparing the percentage of generalized EEG changes in relatives of GTCs patients [88.9%] to that of partial EEG changes in the same group [11.2%] was statistically significant [P=0.001]. The comparison of the percentage of partial EEG changes in relatives of CP patients [75.0%] to that of generalized EEG changes in the same group [25.0%], was statistically significant [P<0.001]. Genetics play an important role in idiopathic epilepsy, with variations among its subtypes