title: Early-onset absence epilepsy aggravated by valproic acid: a video-EEG report.
abstract: Early-onset absence epilepsy refers to patients with absence seizures beginning before age 4 and comprises a heterogeneous group of epilepsies. Onset of absence seizures in the first year of life is very rare. We report a boy with absence seizures with onset at age 11 months, whose seizures increased in frequency after the introduction of valproic acid (VPA) treatment and substantially improved upon cessation of treatment. The mechanism of seizure worsening did not involve VPA toxicity, encephalopathy, Glut-1 deficiency or overdosage, and the reason for absence seizure aggravation remained unclear. The patient showed complete control of absence seizures with levetiracetam treatment and the course was benign, both in terms of seizure control and neuropsychological aspects. The similar overall electroclinical picture and outcome between children with early-onset absences and those with CAE support the view that these conditions are a continuum within the wide spectrum of IGE. [Published with video sequences].
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Sant'Anna Hospital, Como, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Belcastro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Nacional de Pediatria "Prof Dr Juan P Garrahan", Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Roberto Horacio
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Caraballo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico Hospital, Milan.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophtalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, "G Gaslini" Institute, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Striano
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010889:Piracetam
keywords: GLUT-1 deficiency; early-onset absence epilepsy; myoclonic epilepsy of infancy; seizure worsening