Author/Editor     Rener-Primec, Z
Title     Epilepsije v predšolskem obdobju: potek in prognoza epilepsij z začetkom v predšolskem obdobju
Translated title     Epilepsy in the pre-school period: history and prognosis of epilepsy starting in the pre-school period
Type     monografija
Place     Ljubljana
Publisher     Medicinska fakulteta
Publication year     1991
Volume     str. 61
Language     slo
Abstract     During the period from 1989 to 1990, we studied the outcome of epilepsy in 465 children from the Ljubljana health district, who had the first attack of seizures unassociated with fever before the age of 12 years (neonatal spasms were taken into account only if followed by epilepsy). Once the diagnosis of epilepsy had been established the children were followed for 6 to 21 years. Remission or notable improvement in terms of a reduced number of seizures occurred in 91 per cent of children. A 3-year remission of the disease was observed in 47.7 per cent of patients and in the last year of the study in 79.8 per cent of children. The seizures recurred in 78 patients (16.8 per cent ). Of the 370 children who followed the education programme on a regular basis, SO attended special schools, while 32 were unable to attend any form of school. Children in whom epilepsy started before the age of 3 years, showed a higher incidence of neurologic involvement (p less th. 0.01) or mental disability (p less th. 0.001) than those with a later onset of the disease. A 3-year remission rate was the lowest in children with the onset of epilepsy before the age of 3 years (40.8 per cent ), and the highest in the age group of 3 to 6 years (54 per cent ). A 3-year remission of the disease was observed in 49.2 and 52.7 per cent of patients aged 6 to 9, and 9 to 12 years, respectively. Patients with symptomatic epilepsy have a markedly worse prognosis (p less th. 0.01) in terms of disappearance of seizures than those with epilepsy of genetic or kryptogenic etiology (29.9 per cent : 50.0 per cent : 72.7 per cent of patients with remission for 3 years). Mental retardation and abnormal neurological status are important negative prognostic factors (p c0.01) in epilepsy: in only 1/3 of mentally retarded children and in 1/4 of children with neurological impairment, remission of the disease for 3 years was achieved.(trunc.)
Descriptors     EPILEPSY
PROGNOSIS
NEUROLOGIC EXAMINATION
MENTAL RETARDATION
CHILD, PRESCHOOL
AGE FACTORS
STATUS EPILEPTICUS
CONVULSIONS, FEBRILE