[Doose syndrome or myoclonic-astatic epilepsy: two new Tunisian cases]

Myoclonic astatic epilepsy belongs to the epilepsies with generalized seizures. It occurs in 1-2 per cent of all childhood epilepsies up to age 9. The disease is characterized by age of onset mostly between 2 and 6 years and by various clinical and EEG criteria [myoclonic or astatic seizures, 4-7 Hz background rhythm, polyspikes and waves in electroencephalogram]. The authors report two cases answering these criteria. It is about 2 old boys respectively of 2 years and a half and of 18 months during first seizures. Attacks were polymorphic associating myoclonic seizures, absences and astatic crises causing traumatism. These attacks are associated to clonic generalized seizures in one case. The electroencephalograph showed a thorough rhythm of 4-7 Hz. Cerebral imaging was normal at the 2 childs. The psychomotor development is normal in spite of the rebel character of crises justifying the use of several therapeutic alternatives during the evolution