[Frequency, semiology and prognosis of Panayiotopoulos syndrome]

Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS) is an epileptic syndrome of childhood. Until now only a small number of studies have been published about this syndrome.

To study the frequency, semiology and prognosis of PS.

all patients with one or more unprovoked seizures seen at our hospital between 1 June 1994 and 1 March 2011 (n = 827) were included and prospectively followed until 30 April 2018. A diagnosis of PS was made in patients that fulfilled all the following criteria at six month of evolution: seizures with predominantly autonomic symptoms, presence of high amplitude, «functional morphology», focal spikes and slow wave complexes in any location, absence of a previous neurological deficit and normal neuroimaging.

27 cases (3,3%) met the diagnostic criteria. Semiology of the seizures was similar to that described by other authors. 88% of these cases attained a 3-year initial remission without antiepileptic treatment (three years both without seizures and without treatment). 62 cases (7,5%) met all the diagnostic criteria with the exception of the presence of the EEG features. Semiology of these cases was similar and 85% attained a 3-year initial remission without antiepileptic treatment.

In daily practice, patients with a clinical picture suggestive of PS but without the typical EEG features are common. This group of patients also have a good outcome.