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Epilepsies of neonatal onset: seizure type and evolution
Author(s) -
Watanabe Kazuyoshi,
Miura Kiyokuni,
Natsume Jun,
Hayakawa Fumio,
Furune Sunao,
Okumura Akihisa
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1999.tb00609.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , pediatrics , west syndrome , ictal , partial seizures , neonatal seizure , electroencephalography , medicine , complex partial seizures , seizure types , generalized epilepsy , partial epilepsy , epilepsy syndromes , psychology , psychiatry , temporal lobe
Most neonatal seizures are occasional seizures and not true epilepsy. This study investigates seizure types of true neonatal epilepsies and their evolution with development. Seventy‐five children with epilepsies of onset within 1 month of life, who were examined between 1970 and 1995, and whose seizure types could be confirmed with ictal EEG recordings, were studied. The patients were followed up for a minimum of 3 years and the evolution of epileptic syndromes was investigated. Sixty‐three (84%) of 75 patients had partial seizures, while nine had generalized seizures, and only three had both generalized and partial seizures. Twenty‐three of 24 neonates with benign familial or non‐familial neonatal convulsions presented with partial seizures; these syndromes should not necessarily be categorized into generalized epilepsy as they are in the present International Classification. Age‐dependent changes were a common feature of symptomatic neonatal epilepsies. Eighteen (41%) of 44 patients with symptomatic epilepsies of neonatal onset developed West syndrome in infancy. Fifteen (83%) of these 18 patients presented with symptomatic localization‐related epilepsy in the neonatal period. In seven of these 15 patients, West syndrome was followed by localization‐related epilepsy. Symptomatic localization‐related epilepsy with transient West syndrome in infancy is another type of age‐dependent epileptic syndrome.