Pavlína Danhofer1, Milan Brázdil2, Hana Ošlejšková3, Robert Kuba4. 1. Epilepsy Center Brno, Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: pavlina.cahova@seznam.cz. 2. Epilepsy Center Brno, First Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: mbrazd@med.muni.cz. 3. Epilepsy Center Brno, Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: hoslej@fnbrno.cz. 4. Epilepsy Center Brno, Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Epilepsy Center Brno, First Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: robert.kuba@fnusa.cz.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The study aim was to evaluate pharmacotherapy effects and long-term seizure outcomes in patients with juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE) during a five-year follow-up period. The secondary aim was to identify factors from patient history and determine their influence on seizure control. METHOD: We retrospectively studied 46 patients with JAE in the period between 2006 and 2011. The age at seizure onset, onset seizure type, family history of epilepsy, status epilepticus in history, medication history, and the rate of seizure control were studied. RESULTS: There were 30 females (65.2%) and 16 males (34.8%) in the study. The mean age at seizure onset was 12.9±5.6 years (ranged from 3 to 28 years). In 30 patients (65.2%), seizure onset was with absences, in 15 patients (32.6%) with generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS), and in 1 patient (2.2%) with absence status. In 43 patients (93.5%), GTCS occurred in the course of the disease. Family history for epilepsy was positive in 10 patients (21.7%). In the five-year follow-up period, seizure freedom (Group 1) was achieved in 7 patients (15.2%). In total, 22 patients (47.8%) were classified into the groups involving very poor seizure control and antiepileptic drug resistance (Groups 5 and 6). The mean number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used in the course of the disease in appropriate therapeutic doses was 3.8±2.3 (1-10 AEDs). CONCLUSION: The study results show that almost half of JAE patients have poor seizure control with a high rate of pharmacoresistance. The outcome of JAE can be very uncertain.
PURPOSE: The study aim was to evaluate pharmacotherapy effects and long-term seizure outcomes in patients with juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE) during a five-year follow-up period. The secondary aim was to identify factors from patient history and determine their influence on seizure control. METHOD: We retrospectively studied 46 patients with JAE in the period between 2006 and 2011. The age at seizure onset, onset seizure type, family history of epilepsy, status epilepticus in history, medication history, and the rate of seizure control were studied. RESULTS: There were 30 females (65.2%) and 16 males (34.8%) in the study. The mean age at seizure onset was 12.9±5.6 years (ranged from 3 to 28 years). In 30 patients (65.2%), seizure onset was with absences, in 15 patients (32.6%) with generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS), and in 1 patient (2.2%) with absence status. In 43 patients (93.5%), GTCS occurred in the course of the disease. Family history for epilepsy was positive in 10 patients (21.7%). In the five-year follow-up period, seizure freedom (Group 1) was achieved in 7 patients (15.2%). In total, 22 patients (47.8%) were classified into the groups involving very poor seizure control and antiepileptic drug resistance (Groups 5 and 6). The mean number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used in the course of the disease in appropriate therapeutic doses was 3.8±2.3 (1-10 AEDs). CONCLUSION: The study results show that almost half of JAE patients have poor seizure control with a high rate of pharmacoresistance. The outcome of JAE can be very uncertain.