title: Seizure precipitants in children with intractable epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the seizure precipitants in children with intractable epilepsy, and to determine any distinctive clinical features contributing to seizures in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire and seizure diary prepared by the parents of the patients. Demographic and seizure data were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 120 patients with intractable epilepsy, 74 (62%) had one (n=43), two (n=23), or three seizure precipitants (n=8). The three most common precipitants were illness or fever (32%), sleep deprivation (13%), and menstruation (10%). Of these precipitants, inducing factors (endogenous origin) were more common than triggering factors (exogenous origin): 73% versus 27%, respectively. Three distinctive clinical features - neurological abnormalities (P=0.01), status epilepticus (P=0.017), and abnormal neuroimaging (P=0.007) - were significantly more common in patients with than in patients without precipitants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prompt recognition and management of seizure precipitants has practical implications for treating patients with refractory epilepsy. Such patients can be counseled to avoid specific precipitants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sin-Lau Christian Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Peng-Cheng
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yung-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Inn-Chi
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants