ABSTRACT
The likelihood of seizure recurrence after a first unprovoked seizure has profound social, vocational and emotional implications for the patients. Recurrence rates have varied between 27% and 71% in various studies, and the management of patients with a single unprovoked seizure is a controversial topic. In this prospective study we investigated the influence of age, sex, family history, EEG patterns, and anticonvulsant drug (ACD) therapy on seizure recurrence after a first unprovoked tonic-clonic seizure in adults. For this purpose, between October 1988 and January 1991, we studied adult patients who had experienced their after unprovoked tonic-clonic seizure within last 2 months before neurological consultation, and followed them until June 1993. There were 147 patients who met the criteria for inclusion. Overall cumulative recurrence rates were 31.8% by 6 months, 41.3% by 1 year, 44.1% by 2 years, 42.2% by 3 years, and 45.2% by 4 years. Among the risk factors that were evaluated, the time of the day at which the initial seizure occurred was associated significantly (P < 0.05) with seizure recurrence. In our series, 62 patients received ACD and 85 did not. We did not find a significant difference in recurrence rate with regard to ACD therapy. Our results are comparable with those of studies reported previously and suggest that the majority of recurrences after a first unprovoked seizure were seen in the first year (in our series 89% of all recurrences). In our study there was no significant predictor of seizure recurrence, except the time of day at which the initial seizure occurred.
Subject(s)
Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic/drug therapy , Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Recurrence , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Visual evoked potentials (VEP) and auditory evoked potentials (AEP) were studied together with the EEG, in 15 hydrocephalic children who had been shunted previously, and in a control group of 10 normal children. From the control group normal VEP's, AEP's and EEG's were obtained. In all 15 hydrocephalic children the EEG was abnormal. AEP's were normal in 9 and abnormal in 6 cases. VEP's were normal in 7 and abnormal in 8 cases. Only 4 patients showed both abnormal VEP's and AEP's. No relation could be demonstrated between the severity of EEG disturbances and evoked response abnormalities.
Subject(s)
Auditory Pathways/physiopathology , Brain Diseases/diagnosis , Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts/adverse effects , Hydrocephalus/surgery , Visual Pathways/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Electroencephalography , Evoked Potentials , Female , Heart , Humans , Hydrocephalus/physiopathology , Infant , Male , Peritoneal CavityABSTRACT
Two groups of long-stay mentally subnormal epileptic patients, those with a chronically high seizure frequency and those who had become seizure-free, were studied for clinical and EEG factors relating to the prognosis of seizures. The mean period of observation was 20 and 22 years, respectively. All patients had a detailed clinical examination including psychometric testing, and for each, two EEG records were selected for blind semi-quantitative interrater analysis: an admission EEG and an EEG obtained within 6 months of the start of the study. Early onset of seizures, a high initial seizure frequency, multiple seizure types, upper motor neuron signs, and severe mental retardation characterized the seizure group. Significant admission EEG findings in this group included an absence of posterior dominant rhythmic activity, generalized delta activity, and frequent generalized paroxysmal discharges. Results of a linear discriminant analysis confirm that the admission EEG and clinical findings provide a basis for predicting outcome with a reliability on the order of 80%.