Long‐term outcome in epilepsy with grand mal on awakening: Forty years of follow‐up

Epilepsy with grand mal on awakening (EGMA) is a well‐defined subtype of idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Patients with follow‐up of at least 20 years were assessed retrospectively regarding 5‐year terminal seizure remission. Forty‐two patients were included (mean age = 60 ± 13 years). After follow‐up of 40 ± 13 years, 26 patients (62%) were in remission, 5 without antiepileptic drugs. Age at investigation (odds ratio = 0.939, 95% confidence interval = 0.887–0.994, p  = 0.029) independently predicted lacking remission. Nineteen patients (45.2%) had withdrawn from antiepileptic drugs at least once; 12 of those (63.2%) had seizure relapse. EGMA has a favorable long‐term prognosis. With increasing age and treatment duration, antiepileptic drug withdrawal may be justified. Ann Neurol 2014;75:298–302