Epilepsy syndromes undetermined whether focal or generalized in infants.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the seizures in infants with epilepsy syndromes undetermined whether focal or generalized.


METHODS
This was a retrospective video-EEG study of seizures recorded at Children's Memorial Hospital (CMH), Chicago, IL, in infants diagnosed with epilepsy syndromes undetermined whether focal or generalized.


RESULTS
Of 69 infants with seizures recorded, 23 (33%) had epilepsies undetermined whether focal or generalized with both generalized and focal seizures, 17 of which (25% of the total) had epilepsies with both focal and generalized seizures not further specified. The predominant seizure type was spasms with focal seizures.


CONCLUSIONS
We propose several small modifications to the existing 1989 ILAE epilepsy syndrome classification: epilepsies with both focal and generalized seizures could be re-labeled "pleomorphic epilepsies" for simplicity and should include idiopathic and symptomatic subgroups. We believe these epilepsies are not uncommon in the group of infants with intractable seizures and may have yet to be discovered metabolic and genetic determinants.
Korff
Christian M
CM
Epilepsy Center, Box #29, Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, Chicago, IL 60614-3394, USA.
Nordli
Douglas R
DR
D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000473:pathology*; D013577:Syndrome; D014741:Video Recording