Epilepsy, Absence ; Humans

Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) and benign epilepsy of childhood with centro-temporal spikes (BECT) are common forms of idiopathic epilepsy of childhood onset and share many features such as the marked age dependence of onset. The occurrence of generalized 3 Hz spike and waves in BECT or rolandic spikes in CAE has rarely been reported. We report 2 cases of concomitance of CAE and benign rolandic spikes. All of the two patients were female and had clinically absence seizure only. On EEG the two patients simultaneously showed centro-temporal spikes as well as ictal onset of absence seizure consisting of generalized 3 Hz spike and waves. All of the two patients have become seizure-free with valporic acid. It is rare but not impossible that (Rolandic spikes can concur with CAE rather than as a continuum between CAE and BECT), because all of the two patients have not shown BECT so far.
Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence* ; Female ; Humans

The psychomotor variant is a rare EEG pattern as a rhythmical activity at about 6 Hz that may occur in brief or longer runs, independently in the temporal areas during drowsy mental state. It was originally named by Gibbs and Gibbs because of its existence during the ictal or interictal period in patients with psychomotor seizures. We report a 14-year-old girl with juvenile absence epilepsy who showed the long runs of psychomotor variant followed by generalized ictal discharges.
Adolescent ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Absence* ; Female ; Humans ; Seizures

Rolandic epilepsy(or benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes) and childhood absence epilepsy are idiopathic epilepsies and are the most common forms of age-related epilepsies, occurring in previously neurologically normal children. Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes is the most common partial childhood epilepsy, beginning between 2 and 13 years of age and characterized by typical EEG focal discharges and a self- limited course with recovery in or before puberty. Childhood absence epilepsy is one of generalized epilepsies with bilateral synchronous and symmetrical spike-wave paroxysms of 3 Hz and it has a good prognosis under a correct antiepilepsy treatment. These two epilepsies share some common features : similar age at onset, overall good prognosis and marked hereditary predisposition. A coincidence of these two epilepsies in a patient is very rare. We experienced a case of a coincidence of rolandic and childhood absence epilepsy in a 6 year-old female. The presence of an absence focus in rolandic epilepy, however, makes the coincidence of these entirely distinct phenomena, even if very rare, not excluded. We present the case with a review of related literature.
Adolescent ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence* ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; Epilepsy, Rolandic ; Female ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Puberty

Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Absence ; physiopathology ; Humans

Activation of epileptic seizure or electroencephalographic epileptiform discharges by mental calculation is rare, not reported in Korea. We report a 10-year-old right handed school girl without previous seizure history who showed clinically absence seizures and generalized synchronous 3 to 3.5Hz spike-and-wave dlscharges only when she attempted to perform difficult mental arithmetic. No further seizure was provoked after Valproic acid intake.
Child ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Seizures ; Valproic Acid

Zonisamide was administered to 20 patients with refractory epileptic seizures. The mean duration of the administration was 6 months, and the mean dosage was 7.2 mg/kg/day. The efficacy of zonisamide was rated remarkable in 15% of the cases, improvement in 40%, and no change in 45%. The response rates of zonisamide were 62.5% for myoclonic seizures, 50% for tonic-clonic seizures, 80% for atonic seizures and 33.3% for atypical absence seizures. There was no correlation between the clinical response and dose or serum concentration of the drug. The adverse effects were observed in 35% of the cases which were drowsiness, dizziness, ataxia, nausea, and vomiting. In all cases, however, the administration of zonisamide could be continued.
Ataxia ; Child* ; Dizziness ; Epilepsy* ; Epilepsy, Absence ; Humans ; Nausea ; Seizures ; Sleep Stages ; Vomiting

Benign partial epilepsy of childhood is the most common type of epilepsy in school-aged children and is typically well controlled with antiepileptic drug, thus having an excellent prognosis. Recently, we have encountered one case of atypical benign partial epilepsy of childhood with the following atypical clinical and EEG features : predominant atypical absence seizure in addition to partial motor seizure, unusual awake EEG tracings of focal sharp waves in the frontocentrotemporal location, while the sleep tracings showed nearly continuous slow spike and wave activity. The administration of various antiepileptic drugs adversely provoked a drowsy mental state without seizure control. The patient dramatically improved after steroid therapy.
Anticonvulsants ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial* ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Seizures

PURPOSE: To determine the clinical and demographic factors associated with long-term remission of valproate(VPA) therapy in childhood absence epilepsy. METHODS: Fifty-six cases of childhood and juvenile absence epilepsy were identified by reviewing of Electroencephalographic records and medical charts. Thirty-six cases were initially treated with VPA. Factor associated with responsiveness were identified by uni- and mutivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patient achieved long-term remission(75%). Failure to achieve remission was more likely if the initial treatment of VPA had failed than if it was successful(53% versus 90.4%, P<0.02) was also associated with failure of long-term remission. Lamotrigine was more efficacious add-on drug than Ethosuximide(63.6% vs 25% P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Long-term seizure remission was related to the patient's initial response to VPA.
Demography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Seizures ; Triazines ; Valproic Acid

PURPOSE: Ethosuximide (ESX) is currently not available due to various reasons in Korea. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of valproate (VPA) and lamotrigine (LTG) when ESX monotherapy was replaced by VPA or LTG. METHODS: A retrospective study was done for a total of 34 patients treated with ESX in 5 different hospitals affiliated with Catholic University of Korea from January, 2010 to December, 2012. They all were initially treated with ESX, but later switched to VPA or LTG. The subjects were selected based on clinical symptoms and electroencephalography findings. RESULTS: Among 34 patients, VPA was prescribed to 17 patients (50.0%) and LTG to 17 patients (50.0%). Twenty patients (58.8%) achieved the seizure freedom after 3 months of the treatments, 13 patients (76.5%) by VPA and 7 (41.2%) by LTG respectively. Four patients (23.5%) with VPA and 10 (58.8%) with LTG were replaced by other anticonvulsants due to ineffectiveness and/or side effects of medication. When we compare the efficacy of seizure reduction between VPA and LTG after 3 month period of the treatment, the efficacy of VPA was better than that of LTG (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the VPA is a better alternative anticonvulsant than LTG for the patients with absence epilepsy who are unable to continue ESX.
Anticonvulsants ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence* ; Ethosuximide ; Freedom ; Humans ; Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Valproic Acid*