Peri-ictal vegetative symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy.
We investigated peri-ictal vegetative symptoms (PIVS) in 141 patients with adult temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and assessed frequency, gender effect, and lateralizing value of peri-ictal autonomic signs. We recorded abdominal auras in 62%, goosebumps in 3%, hypersalivation in 12%, spitting in 1%, cold shivering in 3%, urinary urge in 3%, water drinking in 7%, postictal nose wiping (PNW) in 44%, and postictal coughing in 16%. At least one vegetative sign appeared in 86% of the patients. The presence of PIVS did not have a significant lateralizing value. PNW occurred in 52% of women and in 33% of men, whereas any PIVS was present in 93% of women and 77% of men. In summary, contradictory to previous studies, the presence of PIVS has no lateralizing value, which may be linked to a low frequency of occurrence of PIVS. PIVS, especially PNW, occurred more frequently in women, supporting the gender differences in epilepsy.
Janszky
J
J
Epilepsy Center Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany. janszky@index.hu
Fogarasi
A
A
Toth
V
V
Magalova
V
V
Gyimesi
C
C
Kovacs
N
N
Schulz
R
R
Ebner
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001332:Automatism / Q000150:complications*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000150:complications*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014743:Videotape Recording