Drug withdrawal in patients with epilepsy: prognostic value of the EEG.
The role of the inter-ictal EEG in predicting seizure relapse after antiepileptic drug withdrawal (AED-W) is unclear. A prospective study on AED-W is in progress. This trial includes routine and sleep EEG recordings every 3 and 6 months, respectively, at each step of the drug discontinuation and periodically during follow-up. Data obtained for 136 patients (mean age 23.2 years; 63 with Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy IGE, 73 with Partial Cryptogenic or Symptomatic Epilepsy PE; without associated neuropsychiatric handicap; with at least 1 year of follow-up after AED-W) were analysed. EEG recordings from seizure onset were available for all patients. Data were analysed separately in IGE and PE patients. The presence of inter-ictal epileptiform abnormalities (IEAs) at the seizure onset and just before AED-W does not seem to predict the AED-W outcome. However, results indicate an association between persisting and increased IEAs during AED-W and a higher relapse rate in both groups, which was statistically significant in the IGE patients.
Galimberti
C A
CA
Epilepsy and Sleep Disorder Centre, Foundation Neurological Institute C. Mondino, Pavia, Italy.
Manni
R
R
Parietti
L
L
Marchioni
E
E
Tartara
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000188:drug therapy; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants