title: Clinical findings in children with occipital paroxysmal discharges.
abstract: Occipital paroxysmal discharges (OPDs) have been related to a variety of clinical problems. To evaluate associated symptoms and patient outcome, we studied 293 children with OPDs. Follow-up of more than 6 months was available in 141 children. Mental retardation, neurological symptoms, behavior problems, ocular symptoms, and convulsions of various types were present. Eight patients had ictal visual phenomena consistent with the diagnosis of benign epilepsy with occipital spike and wave (BEOSW). In the 141 children with at least 6 months follow-up, 58 had other types of convulsions. Clinical and EEG normalization was observed in 25 and clinical normalization only in 17. The use of antiepileptic drugs did not seem to influence the outcome although seizure control was obtained in 26 patients. In all the cases where follow-up was 9 or more years, clinical normalization was observed. Clinical symptoms in these patients were quite heterogeneous and frequently not ictal. The disappearance of OPDs with increasing age points to their being "not lesional" in origin.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatrics, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fois
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malandrini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tomaccini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012890:Sleep; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology