Epilepsia partialis continua as a manifestation of hyperglycemia.

A review of 22 patients who presented with the syndrome of epilepsia partialis continua as symptoms of hyperglycemia and occurred during the phase of hyponatremia and mild hyperosmolality. Epilepsia partialis continua persisted for an average of 9 days,and its duration correlated with the degree of hyponatremia, low blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and measured serum osmolality. In all patients, epilepsia partialis continua was the first symptom leading to the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The epilepsia partialis continua ceased by normalization of blood glucose level. All patients survived and did not have any complications. The majority of the patients had evidence of a localized structural brain lesions and low serum sodium. Metabolic abnormalities including hyperglycemia,mild hyperosmolality and hyponatremia contribute to the development of epilepsiapartialis continua in an area of focal brain damage. It is important to determine blood glucose levels in all cases of epilepsia partialis continua.