Premium
The Natural History of Epilepsy in the Era of New Antiepileptic Drugs and Surgical Treatment
Author(s) -
Sander J. W.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1046/j.1528-1157.44.s.1.1.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , natural history , medicine , etiology , pediatrics , epilepsy syndromes , cohort , prospective cohort study , cohort study , psychiatry , intensive care medicine , surgery
Summary: Purpose: To review the factors influencing prognosis of epilepsy in this era of antiepileptic drugs and surgical treatment. Methods: Systematic review of peer‐reviewed literature. Results: The prognosis depends on many factors; aetiology, age of onset, number of siezures at onset, the natural history of the condition, and the influence of treatment. However, between 70 and 80% of people developing epilepsy will go into long‐term remission, usually within the first 5 years. Discussion: Prognosis in epilepsy is the prospect of attaining complete seizure freedom once a pattern of recurrent epileptic seizures has been established. Well‐designed prospective cohort studies using standard outcome measures need to be conducted, especially in non‐Western cultures.