Abstract
The series included 70 children who had experienced at least 2 seizures before 12 years old, excluding febrile seizures, neonatal seizures or seizures ocurring during a metabolic or infectious insult to the SNC. The children were at least 2 years seizure free and the drug (s) was discontinued over a 3 month period (for each drug). Each child had a complete neurological and psycological assessment, and an EEG was performed every 6 months. Focal neurological signs, an I.Q. less than 70 and epileptic abnormalities on the EEG were considered as an abnormal parameter for statistical analysis. Tne seizures were classified as grand-mal (GM), absences (PM) and partial on a clinical basis. 20 children (28,5%)experienced a recurrence. 75% of them had the seizure during or less than 6 months after withdrawal of the anti-epileptic drug. The factors evaluated for their relation with recurrence were: Age at onset of seizure (before and after 3 y), types of seizure, neurological and/or psycological abnormalities, number of seizures before control and EEG abnormalities. Those which reached statistical significance were: a) more than 10 seizures before control (0,04 > p > 0,025); b) at least 1 abnormal EEG before drug withdrawal (0,02 > p > 0,01); c) neurological and/or psycological abnormalities (0,01>p >0,002); d)association of GM seizures with other types of seizure (0,002 > p > 0,001). 14 children of the recurrence group (70%) had 2 or more of the above risk-factors while 36 (72%) of the non-recurrence group had none or only one.
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Gherpelli, J., Kok, F., Dalfomo, S. et al. STOPPING MEDICATION IN EPILEPTIC CHILDREN. A STUDY OF RISK FACTORS RELATED TO RECURRENCE. Pediatr Res 22, 372 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198709000-00049
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198709000-00049