title: Risk factors of cognitive outcome in patients with atypical benign partial epilepsy/pseudo-Lennox syndrome (ABPE/PLS) and continues spike and wave during sleep (CSWS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atypical benign partial epilepsy/pseudo-Lennox syndrome (ABPE/PLS) and continues spike and wave during sleep (CSWS) belong to a spectrum of idiopathic focal epilepsy syndromes ranging from benign Rolandic epilepsy to more severe seizure disorders, which are commonly characterized by the association of various epileptic seizure types, aggravation of spike-wave discharges during slow sleep, and cognitive and/or behavioral disturbances. The Aim of our study was to evaluate the risk factors that influence cognitive outcome in patients with ABPE/PLS and CSWS in a retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ABPE/PLS and 12 for CSWS and were chosen for the descriptive analysis. Cognitive achievement was evaluated according to psychological tests and school performances.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe global and specific cognitive disturbances occurred almost regularly in cases of ABPE. Already at the time of epilepsy presentation the level of cognitive performance was lower than that of the normal population. At the time of disease presentation only 56% of the children had IQ within the standard range (≥85). We observed that the level of cognitive developmental delay did not change significantly during the disease process. We were not able to observe any statistically significant connection between the development of EEG abnormalities and cognitive development. The conclusion can be drawn that many patients exhibit cognitive impairment at disease presentation which is not affected significantly during the treatment process. Judging from the observed data, we assume that EEG abnormalities, duration of active epilepsy, and antiepileptic medication have less influence on the cognitive development than was previously assumed.
authors.affiliation: Neuropediatric Department, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: n.japaridze@pedneuro.uni-kiel.de.
authors.forename: Natia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Japaridze
authors.affiliation: Neuropediatric Department, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.affiliation: Northern German Epilepsy Centre for Children & Adolescents, Schwentinental/OT Raisdorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Ondarza
authors.affiliation: Neuropediatric Department, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steinmann
authors.affiliation: Neuropediatric Department, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany; Northern German Epilepsy Centre for Children & Adolescents, Schwentinental/OT Raisdorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stephani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: ABPE/PLS; Benign partial epilepsies; CSWS; Cognitive abilities; Epilepsy