10-year outcome of childhood epilepsy in well-functioning children and adolescents
Pysse Jonsson1, Orvar Eeg-Olofsson
1Department of Women's and Children's Health/Neuropaediatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Insights
Most children with epilepsy who were well-functioning in 1997 achieved remission after 10 years. Focal seizures were common, with Rolandic epilepsy being the most frequent diagnosis in this pediatric epilepsy cohort.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Epilepsy Epidemiology
- Clinical Outcomes
Background:
- A population-based study identified children with epilepsy in a Swedish county.
- This study focused on a subset of well-functioning individuals from the original cohort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the 10-year medical outcome for well-functioning children with epilepsy.
- To analyze seizure types, epilepsy syndromes, and treatment in this cohort.
- To investigate individual and family history in relation to epilepsy outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to 45 individuals (aged 11-21) and their parents.
- Hospital records were reviewed for detailed medical information.
- A 10-year follow-up period was assessed from January 1997.
Main Results:
- 75.6% of patients achieved remission after 10 years.
- Focal seizures were prevalent (57.8%), with Rolandic epilepsy diagnosed in 33.3%.
- Family history of epilepsy (44.4%) and primary headache (57.8%) were common.
Conclusions:
- Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding epilepsy epidemiology.
- The findings highlight the positive outcomes for well-functioning children with epilepsy.
- Epilepsy phenotypes and family history may influence outcomes.
Background:
A population based study of epilepsy in children from a Swedish county including all children aged 1 month to 16 years was reported in 2006.
Aim:
To describe the medical outcome, seizure types, epilepsy syndromes, treatment, individual and family history in children from this study who were well-functioning in January 1997 and the outcome after 10 years.
Methods:
Forty-five individuals, 11-21 years, 19 females, and their parents responded to a questionnaire and the hospital records were reviewed.
Results:
At the end of the 10-year period 75.6% of the patients were in remission. Focal seizures and focal seizures with secondary generalization were found in 57.8%. Rolandic epilepsy had been diagnosed in 33.3%, other idiopathic focal epilepsies in 11.0%, cryptogenic and symptomatic focal epilepsies in 22.2%, childhood absence epilepsy in 8.9%, juvenile absence epilepsy and Jeavons syndrome in each 2.2%, West syndrome in 4.4%, and other "generalized" epilepsies in 15.5%. The patients had a history of simple febrile seizures in 15.6% and of primary headache in 24.4%. Monotherapy with antiepileptic drugs was used by 64.4%, and valproate was the most common first drug of choice. A family history of epilepsy was found in 44.4%, febrile seizures in 17.7%, and primary headache in 57.8%. A coincidence of focal and generalized epilepsy phenotypes was found in some families.
Conclusions:
Longitudinal studies are of importance in epilepsy epidemiology. Our results reflect the selection of only well-functioning individuals with epilepsy from the population based original study.
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