title: Epilepsy in patients with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
abstract: Data on epilepsy in pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified are few and scanty. Seventy-seven patients with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified were compared with 77 with autistic disorder, matched for age and sex. The 2 groups were divided into 3 subgroups each: A, without electroencephalography (EEG) paroxysmal abnormalities or epilepsy; B, with EEG paroxysmal abnormalities without epilepsy; and C, with epilepsy. Mild mental retardation (P < .01), pathological neurological examination (P < .05), cerebral lesions (P < .01), abnormal EEG background activity (P < .001), and associated genetic pathologies (P < .01) were more common in pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. Familial antecedents for epilepsy prevailed in subgroup C (P < .01). Epilepsy occurred in 35.1% of patients with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, with no statistically significant difference compared with autistic disorder. The mean age of seizure onset was earlier (2 years 8 months) in pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (P < .000). Seizure outcome was better in autistic disorder. Genetic diseases and cerebral lesions should be investigated in pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified to clarify the etiological and clinical features.
authors.affiliation: Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy. antonia.parmeggiani@unibo.it
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parmeggiani
authors.forename: Annio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Posar
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antolini
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Scaduto
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santucci
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giovanardi-Rossi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D015995:Prevalence