[A review of idiopathic generalized epilepsies: absence epilepsy]

We studied the clinical characteristics observed at diagnosis of the initial seizure in different types of epilepsy, particularly in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), and evaluated the importance of these in the classification of syndromes. The present study analyzes only those IGE initiated by absences leaving the cases initiated by GTC or myoclonic onset for a successive report. We observed differences between cases initiated by absences, those presenting simultaneously with absences and TCG, and those where TCG preceded the absences. Prognosis and evolution are considerably more favourable in cases initiated by absences than in cases with onset preceded by, or simultaneously with, other types of seizures. Besides this difference regarding evolution, it should also be emphasized that the form initiated by absences are more frequent in females, are generally pycnoleptic, appear more often in childhood with a second more moderate peak between 10 and 11 years of age, present more typical clinical-EEG characteristics, and the presence of previous febrile seizures is more notable.