title: Childhood absence epilepsy and benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes: a narrative review analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have shown a possible coexistence of absence seizures with other forms of epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the possible contemporary or subsequent presence of childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) and benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS) in pediatric epileptic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PubMed systematic search indexed for MEDLINE, PubMed and EMBASE was undertaken to identify studies in children including articles written between 1996 and 2015. Retrospective studies, meta-analysis and case reports were included. The list of references of all the relevant articles was also studied. The date of our last search was December 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Review of the literature revealed 19 cases, 8 females and 11 males, reporting a consecutive or contemporary coexistence of CAE and BECTS within the same patients. Patient's age ranged between 4 and 12 years. Three out of 19 patients presented concomitant features of both syndromes, whereas 16 patients experienced the two syndromes at different times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BECTS and CAE may be pathophysiologically related, and the two epileptic phenotypes may indicate a neurobiological continuum. Further studies are needed to elucidate a probable genetic or functional link between partial and primarily generalized electro-clinical patterns in idiopathic childhood epilepsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ospedale S. Salvatore, L'Aquila University School of Medicine, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, 67100, Italy. alberto.verrottidipianella@univaq.it.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Alonzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Victoria Elisa
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Rome, "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casciato
authors.affiliation: IRCCS NEUROMED, Pozzilli (IS), Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Aniello
authors.affiliation: IRCCS NEUROMED, Pozzilli (IS), Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Gennaro
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: absence seizures; benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes; childhood abscence epilepsy