[CAROLE--prospective, multicenter study of first epileptic seizures]

Carole is a prospective cohort survey set up in France by the Observatory for epilepsy. About 2000 patients who had had an initial, undoubtedly epileptic seizure and who had consulted a doctor between 1st May 1995 and 30 June 1996 were admitted. The analysis of the first 1000 cases is presented. The value of this study lies in the attempt it makes to individualize the risk factors of pharmaco-resistance, to assess the procedures used to treat the patients subsequent to an initial seizure and to calculate the direct and indirect costs of the diagnosis and therapy to health insurance.