title: Characteristics and prognosis of epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: The aims of the study were to describe the prevalence and characteristics of epilepsy in a population of patients with cerebral palsy in a university referral center and to determine the rate of relapse caused by discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs after a 3-year seizure-free period. A total of 178 consecutive patients with cerebral palsy and epilepsy were prospectively followed for 9.2 +/- 2.4 years after onset of seizures and compared to a control group of 150 epileptic patients without cerebral palsy (median follow-up period, 10.5 years). The overall prevalence of epilepsy was 36.1%. Patients with atonic-diplegic, dystonic, tetraplegic, and hemiplegic cerebral palsy had a higher incidence of epilepsy (87.5%, 87.1%, 56.5%, and 42%, respectively). In all, 134 (75.3%) patients were seizure free for more than 3 years and could discontinue therapy, whereas 44 patients (24.7%) were still on antiepileptic drugs. Eighteen of 134 patients relapsed after a 3-year seizure-free period and subsequent discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs, thus giving a relapse rate of 13.4%. First seizures occurred during the first year of life in 69.7% of the patients with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Complete control of seizures could be achieved in 65.2% of the patients with cerebral palsy and epilepsy; however, regardless of the prognosis of seizures, epilepsy was a major prognostic factor regarding both the presence of mental retardation and the motor development of children with cerebral palsy.
authors.affiliation: First Pediatric Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. jeff@med.auth.gr
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Zafeiriou
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kontopoulos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsikoulas
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed