title: Prognosis of childhood epilepsy in newly referred patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognosis of childhood epilepsy and to analyze prognostic factors in addition to remission rate in a follow-up of newly referred patients. Two hundred eighty-one patients were followed for a mean period of 5.3 years. Overall, 253 patients (90%) achieved 1-year remission. The beginning of a 1-year seizure-free period was achieved in 77.9% by 1 year, in 84% by 2 years and in 88.6% by 3 years after onset of treatment. Early onset of seizures, symptomatic etiology, and neurologic handicap predicted a worse prognosis. In 44 of 253 children with complete suppression of seizures for 1 year, relapses occurred within the follow-up period. In one child with a relapse, remission could not be achieved in the 2nd year thereafter. In conclusion, our study shows a good prognosis for most children with epilepsy, especially in patients with idiopathic epilepsy and late onset of seizures and without neurologic dysfunction. Moreover, our data strongly suggest that the long-term pattern of seizure control is largely established during the first 2 years of treatment.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Hauser
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Freilinger
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Seidl
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Groh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants