[A study of epilepsy according to the age at onset and monitored for 3 years in a regional reference paediatric neurology unit].
OBJECTIVE
A study of epilepsy, according to the age at onset of the crisis and its causes, monitored by a Paediatric Neurology Unit over a period of three years.


METHODS
Historical cohorts study was conducted by reviewing the Paediatric Neurology medical records data base of epileptic children followed-up from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010.


RESULTS
A total of 4,595 children were attended during the study period. The diagnosis of epilepsy was established in 605 (13.17%): 277 (45.79%) symptomatic, 156 (25.79%) idiopathic, and 172 (28.43%) with cryptogenic epilepsy. Absence epilepsy and benign childhood epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes are the idiopathic epileptic syndromes most prevalent, and the most prevalent symptomatic epilepsies are prenatal encephalopathies. More than one-quarter (26.12%) of epilepsies began in the first year of life, and 67.72% were symptomatic. Refractory epilepsy was observed in 25.29%, 42.46% with cognitive impairment, 26.45% with motor involvement, and 9.92% with an autism spectrum disorder, being more frequent at an earlier age of onset.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of a universally accepted classification of epileptic syndromes makes tasks like this difficult, starting with the terminology. A useful classification would be aetiological, with two groups: a large group with established aetiology, or very likely genetic syndromes, and another with no established cause. The age of onset of epilepsy in each aetiological group helps in the prognosis, which is worsened by refractoriness and associated neurodevelopmental disorders, and are generally worse at an earlier onset and in certain aetiologies.
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
Laura
L
Ochoa-Gómez
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España. Electronic address: jlopezpi@salud.aragon.es.
Javier
J
López-Pisón
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital de Barbastro, Huesca, España.
Carlos
C
Lapresta Moros
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
Cristina
C
Fuertes Rodrigo
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
Ruth
R
Fernando Martínez
Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España.
Pilar
P
Samper-Villagrasa
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
Lorena
L
Monge-Galindo
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
José Luis
JL
Peña-Segura
Unidad de Metabolismo, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
María Concepción
MC
García-Jiménez
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification* / Q000209:etiology; D000073376:Epileptic Syndromes / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009462:Neurology; D010372:Pediatrics; D013997:Time Factors
Childhood; Cryptogenic epilepsy; Epilepsia; Epilepsia criptogénica; Epilepsia idiopática; Epilepsia refractaria; Epilepsia sintomática; Epilepsy; Epileptic syndrome; Idiopathic epilepsy; Infancia; Refractory epilepsy; Symptomatic epilepsy; Síndrome epiléptico