A profile of adolescent-onset epilepsy

To describe the profile of children with adolescent-onset epilepsy and to determine factors predictive of outcome. A database was searched for all patients with a first seizure between the age of 12 and 16 years. Sixty-five adolescents met inclusion criteria. Ten patients needed at least two medications to control seizures, 36 remained on medication at their last visit and 12 patients had at least 1 seizure in the year preceding. A diagnosis of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, the presence of coexisting seizures, coexisting myoclonic seizures, age < or =14.5 years at initial diagnosis, and the presence of compliance issues were significantly associated with the need for medication at last visit. Female gender and the presence of compliance issues were associated with the occurrence of at least 1 seizure in the year preceding last visit. A good outcome for adolescent-onset epilepsy can generally be expected in the short term.