Incidence of Epilepsies in Children and Adolescents: A Prospective Study from the University Children's Hospital of Göttingen, Germany

Purpose: To determine the incidence of new-onset epilepsies and epilepsy syndromes in children and adolescents in a large German city, based on the practical definition of epilepsy as proposed by the International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) iin 2014 and the ILAE classification of epilepsies published in 2010 and to compare the study results with previous German and international studies. Methods: Children between 1 and 15 years of age with new-onset epilepsy were ascertained over 12 months from the residents of the german districts Göttingen and Northeim. Classification was based on clinical information, electroencephalography (EEG), laboratory results and neuroimaging data. Key Findings: The incidence rate of newly diagnosed epilepsy in the considered age range was 97,8 per 100.000 persons per year. Previous northamerican and european studies show, despite comparable living standards and health care systems, remarkable differences. Possible reasons for these results could be different inclusion criteria on the one hand and regional, ethnic and social effects on the other hand. The incidence figures for male and female patients in this study were balanced and the incidence rate was highest in the first year of life. Focal epilepsies represented 67 % of the total annual incidence cases in children. Most frequent was the benign epilepsy with centro-temporal sharp waves (Rolandic epilepsy) comprising 55 % of all benign partial epilepsies followed by Panayiotopoulous-Syndrome with 32 %.2018-03-2