title: Multifactorial etiological aspects of epilepsy.
abstract: The results of a computerized analysis of 555 newly recognized idiopathic epilepsy patients (301 males and 254 females) are presented. All patients were under 30 years over the period 1980-1985. The possible prenatal and perinatal risk factors (RFs) for epilepsy were investigated. The data showed that 307 patients (55.5%) had possible RFs; 162 had one possible RF, 145 two or more. The association of two or more RFs had a high frequency in secondary generalized epilepsy (66.6%) and in partial epilepsy. A multifactorial etiology of epilepsy is suggested, hypothesizing a connection either between prenatal and perinatal RFs or between multiple perinatal RFs.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000150:complications; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk