title: Onset of epilepsy at the time of menarche.
abstract: The authors compared the frequency of epilepsy onset in perimenarche with epilepsy onset in other childhood periods in 94 postmenarchial patients aged <55 years. Seizure onset was higher for the 12 to 15 year age bracket than for other ages and clustered around menarche. Epilepsy began during the year of menarche in 17% of patients vs 5.5% expected (p < 0.001), and during +/-2 years of menarche in 38% patients vs 22% expected (p < 0.001). Seizures worsened during perimenarche in 29% of girls with pre-existing epilepsy. Perimenarche may be a risk for the development and worsening of epilepsy.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Leonie M A
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: van Passel-Clark
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pezzullo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed