title: Can EEG Differentiate Among Syndromes in Genetic Generalized Epilepsy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate EEG differences among syndromes in genetic generalized epilepsy based on quantified data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four-hour ambulatory EEGs were recorded in consecutive patients diagnosed with genetic generalized epilepsy. All epileptiform EEG abnormalities were quantified into density scores (total duration of epileptiform discharges per hour). One-way analysis of variance was conducted to find out differences in EEG density scores among the syndromes. Generalized linear mixed models were also fitted to explore the association between the proportion of "pure" generalized spike-wave paroxysms and fragments (without intervening polyspikes/polyspike-waves) and the syndromes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 6,923 epileptiform discharges were analyzed from 105 abnormal EEGs. In the analysis of variance, six EEG variables were significantly different among syndromes: total spike density (P = 0.001), total polyspike and polyspike-wave density (P = 0.049), generalized spike-wave-only density (P < 0.001), generalized paroxysm density (P < 0.001), generalized paroxysm duration mean (P = 0.018), and generalized paroxysm duration maximum (P = 0.009). The density of epileptiform discharges and the paroxysm durations were the highest in juvenile absence epilepsy followed by juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, childhood absence epilepsy, and generalized epilepsy with tonic-clonic seizures only. Generalized linear mixed models revealed that "pure" generalized spike-wave discharges (without intervening polyspikes/polyspike waves) tended to be more frequent in absence epilepsies, although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.21).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that the density and duration of epileptiform discharges can help differentiate among genetic generalized epilepsy syndromes.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; †Department of Neuroscience, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia; ‡Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; and §Statistical Consulting Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Udaya
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seneviratne
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hepworth
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Wendyl
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: DʼSouza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000073376:Epileptic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013577:Syndrome; D055815:Young Adult