title: Long-term seizure outcome in patients with juvenile absence epilepsy; a retrospective study in a tertiary referral center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aim was to evaluate pharmacotherapy effects and long-term seizure outcomes in patients with juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE) during a five-year follow-up period. The secondary aim was to identify factors from patient history and determine their influence on seizure control.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 46 patients with JAE in the period between 2006 and 2011. The age at seizure onset, onset seizure type, family history of epilepsy, status epilepticus in history, medication history, and the rate of seizure control were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 30 females (65.2%) and 16 males (34.8%) in the study. The mean age at seizure onset was 12.9±5.6 years (ranged from 3 to 28 years). In 30 patients (65.2%), seizure onset was with absences, in 15 patients (32.6%) with generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS), and in 1 patient (2.2%) with absence status. In 43 patients (93.5%), GTCS occurred in the course of the disease. Family history for epilepsy was positive in 10 patients (21.7%). In the five-year follow-up period, seizure freedom (Group 1) was achieved in 7 patients (15.2%). In total, 22 patients (47.8%) were classified into the groups involving very poor seizure control and antiepileptic drug resistance (Groups 5 and 6). The mean number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used in the course of the disease in appropriate therapeutic doses was 3.8±2.3 (1-10 AEDs).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results show that almost half of JAE patients have poor seizure control with a high rate of pharmacoresistance. The outcome of JAE can be very uncertain.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Brno, Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: pavlina.cahova@seznam.cz.
authors.forename: Pavlína
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Danhofer
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Brno, First Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: mbrazd@med.muni.cz.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brázdil
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Brno, Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: hoslej@fnbrno.cz.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ošlejšková
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Brno, Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Epilepsy Center Brno, First Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: robert.kuba@fnusa.cz.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuba
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Epilepsy; JAE; Juvenile absence epilepsy; Outcome; Seizure control; Therapy