Long-term outcome and related factors of epileptic seizures in children

To analyze the Long-term outcome of seizures, and to explore the effects of related factors, including the age at onset, types of epileptic syndromes, and etiological factors, etc.The clinical data were retrospectively surveyed from 265 children with regular follow-ups for over 1 year at Peking University First Hospital (Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2006). The seizure-free rate was calculated as an at least one-year non-occurrence of seizures. The Long-term outcome of seizures was analyzed in association with factors including the age at onset, types of epileptic syndromes, and etiology.(1) Seizure types were clarified in all the cases, with combined types of seizures in 17. Epileptic syndromes were identified in 163/265 cases (61.5%). With regular antiepileptic drug therapy, 57.9% children with epilepsy could be seizure-free. (2) Seizure-free was demonstrated in 142/265 cases with a seizure-free rate of 53.6% in this group. (3) The age at onset was youngest in the non-efficacy group. (4) The seizure-free rate was different by syndrome types of epilepsies, with a higher seizure-free rate in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (72.4%) and benign epilepsy in children with centro-temporal spikes (65.5%), whereas a lowest rate (21.7%) in infantile spasms. (5) A significant difference of seizure-free rates was revealed in different etiological groups. Children with idiopathic epilepsy achieved higher seizure-free rate (69.2%) than those with symptomatic and cryptogenic epilepsy (45.4%).The epilepsy children with regular antiepileptic drug therapy had generally satisfactory outcome of seizures, with over half cases of seizure-free. The prognosis was demonstrated to be closely related with the etiological factors, syndrome types and age at onset.PubMed02315-84