title: ILAE official report: a practical clinical definition of epilepsy.
abstract: Epilepsy was defined conceptually in 2005 as a disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures. This definition is usually practically applied as having two unprovoked seizures >24 h apart. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) accepted recommendations of a task force altering the practical definition for special circumstances that do not meet the two unprovoked seizures criteria. The task force proposed that epilepsy be considered to be a disease of the brain defined by any of the following conditions: (1) At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring >24 h apart; (2) one unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures, occurring over the next 10 years; (3) diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome. Epilepsy is considered to be resolved for individuals who either had an age-dependent epilepsy syndrome but are now past the applicable age or who have remained seizure-free for the last 10 years and off antiseizure medicines for at least the last 5 years. "Resolved" is not necessarily identical to the conventional view of "remission or "cure." Different practical definitions may be formed and used for various specific purposes. This revised definition of epilepsy brings the term in concordance with common use. A PowerPoint slide summarizing this article is available for download in the Supporting Information section here.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acevedo
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arzimanoglou
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogacz
authors.forename: J Helen
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Christian E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Elger
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forsgren
authors.forename: Jacqueline A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glynn
authors.forename: Dale C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hesdorffer
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Mathern
authors.forename: Solomon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Moshé
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perucca
authors.forename: Ingrid E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Scheffer
authors.forename: Torbjörn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomson
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiebe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D026683:Advisory Committees / Q000639:trends; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058028:Research Report / Q000639:trends; D012640:Seizures / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Definition; Epilepsy; Recurrence; Seizure; Unprovoked