A study of epilepsy according to the age at onset and monitored for 3 years in a regional reference paediatric neurology unit

• Published in: Anales de pediatría (Barcelona, Spain : 2003) Vol. 86; no. 1; p. 11
• Main Authors: Ochoa-Gómez, Laura, López-Pisón, Javier, Lapresta Moros, Carlos, Fuertes Rodrigo, Cristina, Fernando Martínez, Ruth, Samper-Villagrasa, Pilar, Monge-Galindo, Lorena, Peña-Segura, José Luis, García-Jiménez, María Concepción
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.01.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age of Onset; Child; Child, Preschool; Epilepsy - classification; Epilepsy - etiology; Epileptic Syndromes - classification; Epileptic Syndromes - etiology; Female; Hospital Units; Humans; Infant; Male; Neurology; Pediatrics; Time Factors; Epilepsia; Epilepsy; Cryptogenic epilepsy; Epilepsia idiopática; Epilepsia sintomática; Epilepsia refractaria; Síndrome epiléptico; Idiopathic epilepsy; Refractory epilepsy; Epilepsia criptogénica; Infancia; Childhood; Symptomatic epilepsy; Epileptic syndrome
• ISSN: 1695-9531; 1695-9531
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2016.05.002

A study of epilepsy, according to the age at onset of the crisis and its causes, monitored by a Paediatric Neurology Unit over a period of three years. Historical cohorts study was conducted by reviewing the Paediatric Neurology medical records data base of epileptic children followed-up from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010. A total of 4,595 children were attended during the study period. The diagnosis of epilepsy was established in 605 (13.17%): 277 (45.79%) symptomatic, 156 (25.79%) idiopathic, and 172 (28.43%) with cryptogenic epilepsy. Absence epilepsy and benign childhood epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes are the idiopathic epileptic syndromes most prevalent, and the most prevalent symptomatic epilepsies are prenatal encephalopathies. More than one-quarter (26.12%) of epilepsies began in the first year of life, and 67.72% were symptomatic. Refractory epilepsy was observed in 25.29%, 42.46% with cognitive impairment, 26.45% with motor involvement, and 9.92% with an autism spectrum disorder, being more frequent at an earlier age of onset. The absence of a universally accepted classification of epileptic syndromes makes tasks like this difficult, starting with the terminology. A useful classification would be aetiological, with two groups: a large group with established aetiology, or very likely genetic syndromes, and another with no established cause. The age of onset of epilepsy in each aetiological group helps in the prognosis, which is worsened by refractoriness and associated neurodevelopmental disorders, and are generally worse at an earlier onset and in certain aetiologies.