[Frequency, semiology and prognosis of benign infantile epilepsy]
J Ramos-Lizana1, G Martinez-Espinosa1, M I Rodriguez-Lucenilla1
1Hospital Torrecardenas, 04009 Almeria, Espana.
Insights
Benign infantile epilepsy is a common infant epilepsy syndrome. While often having a good prognosis for remission, it may not be as favorable as other self-limiting infant epilepsies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatric Epilepsy
Background:
- Benign infantile epilepsy is an epileptic syndrome occurring in infancy.
- Limited case-series data have been previously published.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency, semiology, and prognosis of benign infantile epilepsy.
- To characterize this common epileptic syndrome in infants.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up of 827 infants with epileptic seizures over 17 years.
- Diagnosis based on seizure characteristics, onset before 24 months, normal neurological exam, neuroimaging, and EEG at six months.
Main Results:
- 77 cases (9%) met diagnostic criteria for benign infantile epilepsy.
- Seizure semiology was typical of focal seizures in infants under 24 months.
- 86% of patients with multiple seizures achieved 3-year remission without treatment; 74% in focal seizure subgroup without family history.
Conclusions:
- Benign infantile epilepsy is a frequent epileptic syndrome in infancy.
- Seizure semiology does not reliably characterize the syndrome.
- Diagnosis at six months suggests a good prognosis, though potentially less favorable than other self-limited infant epilepsies.
Introduction:
Benign infantile epilepsy is an epileptic syndrome of infancy. Until now, only a small number of case-series have been published.
Aim:
To study the frequency, semiology and prognosis of benign infantile epilepsy.
Patients And Methods:
The 827 patients with one or more epileptic seizures seen at our hospital between 1 June 1994 and 1 March 2011 were included and prospectively followed. A diagnosis of benign infantile epilepsy was made in patients that fulfilled the following criteria at six month of evolution: one or more focal and/or generalised seizures, onset before 24 months, no neurological deficit and normal neuroimaging and interictal EEG.
Results:
77 cases (9%) met the diagnostic criteria. Semiology of the seizures was similar to that of other focal seizures in children under 24 months. 25% of the patients remained as isolated seizures. Among those with two or more seizures, the probability of achieving a 3 year initial remission without antiepileptic treatment was 86%. In the subgroup of patients with focal seizures without family history the probability was 74% and in five cases a global developmental delay/intellectual disability was detected thereafter.
Conclusions:
Benign infantile epilepsy is a frequent epileptic syndrome. Semiology of seizures is not useful to characterize the syndrome. A diagnosis of benign infantile epilepsy at six month of evolution implies a reasonably good prognosis, but possibly not as good as for other self-limited epilepsies of infancy.
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