Epilepsy in institutionalized patients with encephalopathy: clinical aspects and nosological considerations

This study was designed to correlate the prevalence of epilepsy with the severity and type of encephalopathy of 1,023 institutionalized patients and tentatively classify each according to the Proposals of the Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League Against Epilepsy. Of this sample, 326 individuals were diagnosed with epilepsy. Sex distribution and mean age in the epilepsy and no epilepsy groups were similar, but degree of handicap was higher for those with epilepsy. Of these individuals 32.5% had a partial form. Of the 204 patients with generalized epilepsy (62.5%), 64 had a form with electroclinical characteristics of the idiopathic type; 57, a syndromic form (53 cases with a Lennox-Gastaut syndrome); and 83, a nonsyndromic form. Degree of handicap and frequency of seizures were lower in subjects with partial epilepsy and with those having electroclinical characteristics of the idiopathic type.