title: Epileptic seizures in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the incidence and clinical features of epileptic seizures in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO).
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed medical records of all patients who visited the Neurology Clinic in Utano National Hospital between January and December, 2009, and enrolled 63 MS patients who fulfilled the McDonald criteria (2005) (mean age, 41.1 years) and 31 NMO patients who fulfilled the Wingerchuk criteria (2006) (mean age, 44.6 years). Patients with a history of epileptic seizures were selected and their clinical features were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four MS patients (6.3%; 2 men and 2 women; mean age, 32.5 years) and 4 NMO patients (12.9%; 4 women; mean age, 36.0 years) had epileptic seizures. Disease onset age of MS patients with seizures was significantly younger than those without seizures by 13.1 years, and Expanded Disability Status Scale of NMO patient with seizures was significantly higher than those without seizures by 2.2. All 8 patients showed brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging and 2 MS patients had tumefactive demyelinating lesions. Electroencephalography showed interictal epileptiform discharges in 5 patients. Seizure types of 6 patients were recognized as partial seizures based on clinical semiology. All patients responded to antiepileptic therapy well. In both MS and NMO, there were both seizures with and without concurrent relapse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Similar to MS, NMO patients possibly have higher risk to develop epileptic seizures than general population.
authors.affiliation: MS Center, National Hospital Organization, Utano National Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tahara
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konishi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult