Ambulatory cassette EEG in absence epilepsy.
Absence epilepsy is associated with bursts of generalized 3 Hz spike-and-wave activity. Even very brief bursts may cause an alteration in the level of consciousness and impaired reaction time. We studied 15 patients, ages 5-16 years, with absence epilepsy using 8 channel ambulatory cassette electroencephalography. All patients demonstrated multiple paroxysms of generalized spike-and-wave discharges, most of which were asymptomatic. Because patients with absence epilepsy may not accurately report seizure frequency, periodic long-term monitoring may be required which is accomplished easily on an outpatient basis with ambulatory cassette electroencephalography.
Keilson
M J
MJ
Division of Neurology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11219.
Hauser
W A
WA
Magrill
J P
JP
Tepperberg
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation