[Focal epilepsies in adults: prognosis of treatment effectiveness]

One hundred and seventy-five patients (73 men and 102 women, aged 16-76 years) with symptomatic and probable symptomatic epilepsies, were studied. The duration of disease was from few months to 38 years. The study included evaluation of anamnesis, clinical and neurological examination, routine EEG and/or video-EEG-monitoring, X-ray CT and/or MRI of the brain. The antiepileptic therapy was started or corrected. The period of observation was 1-3,5 years, on average 2 years. Duration of disease, correctness and effectiveness of the previous AED therapy, EEG and neuroimaging data, frequency and type of epileptic seizures were evaluated. A remission was achieved in 96 (54.8%) cases, a reduction of seizures frequency by 50% and more--in 45 (25.8%), no effect--in 34 (19.4%). Epileptiform activity on routine EEG, long disease duration, high frequency of seizures, focal seizures with/without secondary generalization were associated with ineffectiveness of the treatment. Neuroimaging findings and a character of the previous therapy did not impact on the prognosis of disease.