Clinical and Electrographic parameters as predictors of outcome of patients with Childhood Absence seizures

Abstract

Background: Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) accounts for 10% to 17% of childhood epilepsy. Most of the available evidence is inconclusive regarding evolution and prognosis of CAE because of the wide range of diagnostic criteria used. This retrospective study was done to assess clinical and EEG parameters as outcome predictors of patients with CAE. Methodology: In this study, we reviewed the data of 45 patients with a clinical diagnosis of Absence epilepsy who presented to the outpatient Neurology clinic at Tripoli Children Hospital in the period from January 2008 to June 2019, medical records were reviewed for sex, age at absent Seizure onset, additional seizure types, previous febrile seizures , first-degree family history of epilepsy, neurological examination, EEG findings, medications, response to medication ( required that all seizures remained under full control for at least 1 year after drug withdrawal and at least one year seizure freedom for patients with ongoing treatment at time of study data collection). Results: Study group of 45 patients consisted of 25 male (55.6%) and 20 (44.4%) female. (6.7%) have early onset absence. 15.6% have a history of generalized tonic clonic seizures after the onset of the absence attacks. history of febrile seizures were present in11.1%. 82.2% of patients have typical EEG findings with generalized synchronous and symmetrical 3-4 Hz spike-and-wave discharges. Na Valoproate was the initial treatment for all patients, 93.3% treated with monotherapy. Remission were achieved in 88.9% of patients. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that early onset of absence seizures, GTCSs during the active stage of the disease and EEG features atypical for CAE are the most important predictive factors for an unfavorable prognosis of CAE.