Presurgical seizure frequency and tumoral etiology predict the outcome after extratemporal epilepsy surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the predictive value of demographic data for the seizure outcome after extratemporal epilepsy surgery.


METHODS
Eightyone patients who underwent resective extratemporal epilepsy surgery were retrospectively studied concerning (a) age at surgery, (b) onset of epilepsy, (c) duration of epilepsy, (d) number of seizures at the time of presurgical evaluation, (d) number of presurgically tested antiepileptic substances and (f) number of seizure types. The data were correlated to the postoperative seizure outcome after two years.


RESULTS
33 patients (40.7%) were seizure free two years after surgery. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that both tumor etiology and low presurgical seizure frequency were independently associated with seizure freedom after epilepsy surgery. The recurrence rate in patients with one or more seizures per day was more than two-fold if compared with patients with fewer seizures. The remaining demographic factors did not show a significant association with seizure outcome in our 81 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Fewer than daily seizures prior to surgery and a tumoral etiology independently increase the likelihood of remaining seizure free two years after extratemporal epilepsy surgery.
Boesebeck
F
F
Bethel Epilepsy Center, Klinik Mara I, Maraweg 21, 33617, Bielefeld, Germany.
Janszky
J
J
Kellinghaus
C
C
May
T
T
Ebner
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D038421:Hemispherectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome