Interictal EEG changes in eclampsia.
The pathogenesis of seizures and encephalopathy in eclampsia remains obscure even today. There are only a few reports on EEG findings in eclampsia. This is a report of the interictal EEG changes in 8 patients with eclampsia who were evaluated prospectively. The major EEG changes observed were (1) slowing of the background activity (generalized slowing in 4 patients and focal slowing in 3 patients) and (2) intermittent spike and sharp wave transients (5 patients). These abnormalities had disappeared in all except 2 patients when the EEG was repeated on the seventh day. A comparison is drawn between eclampsia and hypertensive encephalopathy for the clinical, EEG and CT/MRI findings. The pathogenesis of seizures and encephalopathy could be similar in these two conditions. It is worth while considering these EEG changes while planning the treatment of eclampsia.
Thomas
S V
SV
Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India.
Somanathan
N
N
Radhakumari
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies