Clinical characteristics of paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis: diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

The clinical characters, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis (PKC), and efficacy of the anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) were investigated. Thirty-one patients with PKC were collected, and the clinical characters and change of EEG were analyzed. The average age of the first attack was 16.8 years old and the pinnacle was 10 to 20 years old. There were definite causes for every attack and the sudden movement was the most common one (92%). Time for the whole attack was always less than 1 min. The attack presented with muscle tension disturbance (83.9%), movement like dancing (16.1%), abnormal movement of mouth and face and other symptoms (16.2%). The attack tended to be very frequent and 71% patients were beyond once per day. The EEG examination and image scan of primary PKC were normal in most patients. Low dosage of AEDs could control the attack of 50%-77.3% patients. It was concluded that PKC was a common disease of movement disorder. The therapy by AEDs was very effective. PKC should be differentiated from epilepsy and the relationship between PKC and epilepsy needs further research.