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Precipitating factors and therapeutic outcome in epilepsy with generalizedtonic–clonic seizures
Author(s) -
Bauer J.,
Saher M. S.,
Burr W.,
Elger C. E.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0404.2000.102004205.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , carbamazepine , medicine , etiology , pediatrics , anticonvulsant , retrospective cohort study , anesthesia , psychiatry
Objectives – The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of precipitating factors and therapy on the outcome of epilepsy with generalized tonic–clonic seizures. Patients and methods – Retrospective analysis of data from 34 patients (mean age at seizure onset 19 years; mean duration of follow‐up 9.2 years) suffering from epilepsy of either cryptogenic or remote symptomatic ( n =19), or idiopathic ( n =15) etiology. The total number of seizures in all patients was 146. Results – Without treatment 97 seizures manifested during 90.5 years without treatment (1.07 seizures/year), during treatment with carbamazepine or valproate 49 seizures occurred within 224 years (0.2 seizures/year). The frequency of seizures was significantly lower during treatment. Precipitating factors were found in relation to 31% of seizures in patients with remote symptomatic or cryptogenic epilepsy, and for 51% of seizures in patients with idiopathic epilepsy. Conclusions – There was a low frequency of seizures in patients with generalized tonic–clonic seizures. Precipitating factors are common. Antiepileptic drug treatment is effective.