Seizure precipitants in children with intractable epilepsy

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the seizure precipitants in children with intractable epilepsy, and to determine any distinctive clinical features contributing to seizures in these patients. Methods: A questionnaire and seizure diary prepared by the parents of the patients. Demographic and seizure...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain & development (Tokyo. 1979) 2008-09, Vol.30 (8), p.527-532
Main Authors: Fang, Peng-Cheng, Chen, Yung-Jung, Lee, Inn-Chi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use
Child
Child, Preschool
Children
Electroencephalography
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - drug therapy
Epilepsy - physiopathology
Female
Humans
Intractable
Male
Neurology
Risk Factors
Seizure precipitant
Seizures - drug therapy
Seizures - epidemiology
Seizures - physiopathology
Seizures - prevention & control
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Abstract Purpose: To investigate the seizure precipitants in children with intractable epilepsy, and to determine any distinctive clinical features contributing to seizures in these patients. Methods: A questionnaire and seizure diary prepared by the parents of the patients. Demographic and seizure data were reviewed. Results: Of 120 patients with intractable epilepsy, 74 (62%) had one ( n = 43), two ( n = 23), or three seizure precipitants ( n = 8). The three most common precipitants were illness or fever (32%), sleep deprivation (13%), and menstruation (10%). Of these precipitants, inducing factors (endogenous origin) were more common than triggering factors (exogenous origin): 73% versus 27%, respectively. Three distinctive clinical features – neurological abnormalities ( P = 0.01), status epilepticus ( P = 0.017), and abnormal neuroimaging ( P = 0.007) – were significantly more common in patients with than in patients without precipitants. Conclusions: Prompt recognition and management of seizure precipitants has practical implications for treating patients with refractory epilepsy. Such patients can be counseled to avoid specific precipitants.
ISSN:0387-7604
1872-7131
DOI:10.1016/j.braindev.2008.01.004